


The Abiding Force: A Knight of the Empire

by Judge_Fredd



Category: Fantasy - Fandom, Knights of the Old Republic - Fandom, Science Fiction - Fandom, Star Wars
Genre: Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:22:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 78,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22609228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Judge_Fredd/pseuds/Judge_Fredd
Summary: The Jedi are no more, the First Galactic Empire long fallen and the Sith long forgotten. Rising from the dark age following the fall of the New Republic the Second Galactic Empire has grown to subjugate much of the known galaxy. It is a time of peace enforced by the benevolent Emperor's legion of Imperial Knights.But this peace cannot last forever, for darkness abides at the edge of the Empire.Taris, the jewel of the mid-rim stands as a testament to Imperial might but also to the darkness beneath its splendor. Nobles wage terrible blood feuds for power and vengeance. The noble houses of Kidann and Adrass have long fought for control of Taris and as the new generation grows tall the flames of war grow with them.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1





	1. 1

It was warm, pleasant even, as he strode the length of the causeway toward his chosen destination. The main thoroughfare of the upper city's administration sector was well-maintained, as was to be expected. Taris, the jewel of the mid-rim, glittered with the light of the setting star as night began its slow march across the opposing horizon. Soon, darkness would fall and his chance would be lost. He strode forward at a hastened pace, sparing only a moment to recall the old images that burned through his mind. How different the upper city was from what lay below, among the ruins of the old, where men like Jae Siddall dared to delve.

He felt distinctly out of place as he marched toward the meeting point. He'd grown up among such lofty heights, long ago when all was possible. He'd spent his life among the walls and towers of such worlds, so many of them disguising the scars of what was buried beneath them. There was much wealth to be found there, at the darkest depths of such places. Taris was no different, though he had to admit that the world belied a different sense than the others.

That, he suspected, would change. He had seen it long ago, when all had been clear and calm. Those days had passed like the fleeting warmth of a summer's breeze. Something had been forgotten. The Empire prospered, but darkness bit at its foundation, at the fringes of its control. There were whispers from the outlands, beyond the frontier where much had been lost during the dark age. Worlds reduced to hollow voids, drifting silently amongst dying stars.

He banished the thought, it was but rumor and superstition without evidence. Focus on the moment and trust in himself; that was his way. Shoj was ahead, moving along the balcony overlooks. She was liquid, flowing casually from one vantage to the next, the bolt-thrower disguised beneath her cloak.

Jae checked his PDS again, it was a nervous habit he could not shake. The units were prohibitively expensive, but utterly impenetrable when matched against conventional blasters that were ubiquitous throughout Imperial space. Shoj's weapon was the exception, a dual-shot bolt-thrower created with the sole purpose of countering such shields. These too were prohibitively expensive and difficult to employ correctly for most applications. The first shot cracked through the deflector bubble, scrambling the system and opening a hole that could be pierced by the second shot, fired nano-units later. They were known colloquially as Knightbane.

Precision in an Empire obsessed with general-application, Jae's specialty. His right hand lay upon the Vibroblade's hilt. His Kuatech blaster pistol just below that on the dual sheath. It had been many years since he had drawn either in true combat, though he had kept up his regimen. There had been a time when he would have stood in Shoj's place, muscle to an older warlord. How far he had come from the destitution of his Father's mistakes. Now, with his youth spent in purchase of his army, he stood poised to build again the house of Siddall.

There was one man who could decide his fate, the only man on Taris that Jae Siddall truly feared. As he leaned against the pillar looking down the pedway that led from Counsel house to the Kidann Fortress, he thought of his sister. She'd been gone a decade now, into the void without a trace. Jae often sought her presence in his meditations, but she was lost to him. He smiled as he remembered fondly the last time he had seen her. Her sons huddled close beneath the Venell pine that stood alone within the fortress garden.

Tae Kidann strode through the gate of the Counsel house as Jae's eyes found their focus again. The standard bearers surrounding him as the procession ambled their path toward the fortress. Jae swept his black hair back, tying it loosely behind him. He gripped the pommel of his blade tightly as the imposing personage of the Imperial Governor methodically marched toward him. He smirked as his eye fell on the boys that followed behind the man. Ben was tall and fair as he'd remembered, his head held high, scanning the surrounding streets.

Something wormed at the edge of his mind. It was familiar, curious and utterly without tact. Jae did his best to maintain his smirk. This is her son, Jae thought, as he appraised the younger boy. He could see her in him, that same intensity and curiosity. Val, he remembered, the second son of Kidann. Behind the two was the Knight that he'd brought Shoj along for. He pulled his comm to his mouth and keyed it on, "Just as we planned." he stated, placing the comm back onto his belt.

Val turned to his brother, a sudden sense of approaching danger from ahead. Ben met his gaze, he'd felt it too. Korta was quiet, a state one could rarely find in the man. The Knight loved to ramble on. Val turned to notice that he'd palmed his saber and was checking his armor.

"Who is it?" Val asked Korta, unable to determine the identity from the instinctive, simplistic reaction he'd been subjected to. Val noticed that Ben was now following Korta's lead, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Ben's eyes scanned the surrounding structures and pathways, but seemed not to have found what he was searching for.

"Someone either too clumsy or too arrogant to disguise themselves." Ben said, finally looking to address his brother's query.

"My creds are on arrogant," Korta spoke dismissively, "No offense intended but Tarisian nobles have a very high opinion of themselves generally." Korta bellowed, ensuring that Tae could hear him. Val could not see his father's face, but he imagined that there would be a smile on it.

"Grom Adrass?" Val asked the two elder men.

"Councillor Adrass is far too competent for that boy." Korta said, chiding him mildly, "Perhaps one of his whelps, but certainly not himself."

"I hope it's Chiko, She has something coming to her after what she did to Miri. "Ben said, referring to their cousin, Miri, who had been assaulted by Adrass loyalists. She had been horribly scarred, unable to leave her bed for many weeks; Val shared his brother's anger. Chiko Suvan was an illegitimate daughter of the Patriarch of Adrass, vicious and psychopathic to her core.

Ben had fought the girl in the childhood skirmishes so common to the Nobles of Taris. That animosity had flowed into something more intense, though the law ensured that it should never come to violence. A son of Kidaan was above such things.

"A fool's sentiment, young master." Korta said, annoyance apparent in his voice. "The heir of Kidann, a knight aspirant, both are above such petty concerns." the old knight said, his voice lecturing both of the younger men.

Ben's face twisted in annoyance, he'd always been quick to a conclusion and slow to change his perceptions. Val loved his older brother, but only shared a marginal likeness in demeanor. Ben was decisive, Val was contemplative and though both shared the values their parents had taught them they had interpreted those values differently.

"You know nothing of our feud with Adrass." Ben snarled back, allowing his temper to guide him.

Korta laughed derisively at that, mocking the heir, "I was in the room when Marshall Fyr'Aellia elevated your grandfather to the governorship, boy, I saw old Calo's face when his greatest rival won ultimate power." the old Knight said, suppressing another bout of laughter.

Ben looked mortified for a moment, "How old are you?!" he asked incredulously.

"Quiet now, boy, and observe." Korta said, pointing his gloved finger toward a pale figure that had stepped from the shadows a hundred paces ahead of the party.

"Uncle Jae!" Val exclaimed, surprised by the sudden return of his errant uncle. Ben drew his sword as Korta stepped forward. Val had not seen them until now, but at least a dozen shabby, motley figures stood on all sides of the procession. Val felt a shiver crawl up his spine as he reached for his own blade.

Tae stopped, looking at the pale, slender figure of his brother-in-law, "It's been too long." Siddal said, stepping forward toward Tae. Korta moved to Tae's side, but Tae waved him back. Jae came to rest a few yards from Tae, his hand still resting on the hilt of his blade.

"What can I do for you, Captain Siddall?" Tae Kidann asked, his voice even and sure.

Siddall smiled as he replied, " I simply wish to request the honor of accompanying my dear brother-in-law to his home; these are dangerous days after all."

Tae never took his eyes from the man, remaining totally still as he considered the 'request'. Siddall was all calm and confidence; Val was unnerved by his appearance. Life in the lower cities must be harder than he knew, given the many scars that crossed Siddall's visage.

"It would be my pleasure for you to join us, brother." Tae said, smiling slightly, only the slightest hint of reticence in his voice. Val knew that if Siddall meant them immediate harm, he could have inflicted it easily enough. The mercenaries surrounding the Kidann retinue were grizzled and well-equipped despite their shambolic appearance.

"Thank you, brother." Siddall said, smiling widely as he moved to walk beside Tae. "There is something I wished to speak to you about, actually." Siddall said as the retinue resumed its march, now accompanied by Siddall and his mercenaries.

Tae and Siddall moved ahead of the group, speaking in hushed tones. Ben and Korta had sheathed their weapons, but both remained on edge. Val walked beside them both, his eyes scanning his surroundings. The silent precision of the mercenaries' appearance unnerved him.

"What the hell was that about?" Ben asked of Korta. "Why stage something like that simply to speak with father?" Val added, sharing his brother's confusion.

"He wished to engage on his terms." Korta replied, "Battle and politics follow similar rules boys, an ambush is a powerful tool." Korta explained. Val thought on that for a few steps before his mind wandered back to conversation unfolding before him. Surely they wouldn't notice if he... He looked to Ben, then to Korta, "Can either of you hear what they're saying?" he asked in a hushed tone. Neither of them replied, their eyes trained on the mercenaries.

Val did not sense deceit, though he did sense great worry from the patricians conversing ahead. It radiated from Siddall, infecting his father's mind.

They won't notice... Val thought, closing his eyes. One by one the distractions fell away, just as his mother had taught him. The whine of distant speeders, the squack of a far-above repton, the wind that broke against the towers of the city, all fell away as he searched for his father's voice. Silence fell upon his mind, as the whispers grew in volume.

"... need you to be more careful brother." Siddall said, his eyes piercing the Kidann patriarch with a serious look.

"We knew they'd never stand for such disgrace Jae, the Adrass are as old and proud as Kidann, twice as arrogant too and Grom personifies that perfectly, the bastard." Tae said with no small amount of exhaustion.

"He will strike soon, the moment he has a good enough excuse. He already has enough troops for what he plans." Jae replied, "None of them as good as my own, but tough and plentiful nonetheless." he added with a mirthless smirk.

"So he asked you then?" Tae Kidann asked, his eyes narrowing on his former brother-in-law.

"Of course he did, I'm the best." Jae said beaming that arrogant smile Val remembered so fondly. "Audacious of him to do so, I really might have taken him up on it if I didn't like you so much, the money was very good."

"I'll match his price, of course." Tae said nonchalantly.

"Of course you will, I'm the best brother." Siddall replied mockingly.

Tae sneered at him, "This work has changed you, where has that clumsy young brat stealing wine from the Bride's reception table gone? It seems like only moments ago that your father was chasing you around the halls with Iy..." Tae stopped abruptly, "I'm sorry Jae, it slipped my mind."

"Don't be, they're gone, it's distant now... you know? I've got no grief left in me." he said coldly. Val sensed a distant longing, but nothing else. Val felt shame, he'd stumbled into something painful for them but also for himself. He let his focus drop, opening his eyes as Ben began to ramble something about the "Scum" surrounding them. He settled into a steady pace, listening to Korta's lecturing tone as he corrected Val's older brother on the dangers of underestimating one's opponent.

Siddall spared a knowing glance back at the boy when he wasn't looking. "He's very much like her I think." Tae said, reading his expression.

"Yes, in many ways it seems." Siddall replied. "Have they been trained?"

Tae nodded, but his look was worried, "Ben has taken to it better than Val. Korta is a fine teacher, but one can only learn as much as one is willing to learn."

Jae nodded at that, "I hope he never has to, it is not an easy life. Not one I'd wish on either of them." Siddall thought of his sister, so much like her... it's uncanny, he thought. He remembered then, opening a case on his belt usually reserved for extra blaster packs and medical supplies.

"I have gifts for them, Zeya as well, I look forward to meeting her, by the way." Siddall said with a giddy tone.

Tae looked to the man, seeing inside the case. "Are those...?"

Siddall beamed even brighter as he nodded affirmatively, "Yes, salvage from the undercity, my armorers and technicians say that they are from long before the darkness."

"They will adore them, I know it." Tae said, "Thank you, for everything."

They were approaching the Kidann palace now, the three great spires and retaining wall stuck out starkly against the uniformity of the surrounding structures. This Palace had stood long vigil stretching back to the long-forgotten days of the first empire and perhaps earlier in another form. It was elegant in a way that had yet to be recaptured, smooth and aquatic where Imperial design tended toward angular efficiency.

"Where can I station my men?" Siddall asked abruptly. Tae missed a step, "You intend to stay?" he asked with a halting breath.

"Of course, I'm not taking money NOT to fight, you've bought yourself the Ebon Spring for a term of service brother." he said pulling a datapad from his belt. Tae accepted it and began signing the contract. "There is one unwritten clause I'd like to add." Jae said, not requesting.

"Well don't keep me in suspense or anything..." Tae said, his eyes fixed to the pad in his hand.

"I will join your Knight in the training of my nephews." he said, a devilish expression crossing his scarred face.


	2. 2

Val held the small metal cylinder tightly, still unable to believe he was now its owner. Ben had been reduced to an utterly childlike state when their uncle had revealed their gifts. Val had not seen his brother since. He’d retreated down into the training room for the majority of the day, swinging away his enthusiasm against any droid or sparring partner he could find. Val was equally excited, but his mind had fixated on questions about the lightsaber’s origin. Jae had been frustratingly vague when asked, telling Val that he’d collected it in his travels. This was not a lie, but it was deceptive, Val had sensed that. His uncle had not revealed anything further and so Val decided to try other means.

He held the lightsaber in front of him, his thumb hovered above the activation switch. With a deft motion and a hiss of energy, the blade sparked into being in front of him. Crimson light bathed over him, a dull heat radiating from the pulsing energy beam. It rippled viciously, though as he watched he noted that beneath that was a strong and stable current at the core. Val found this interesting, as Ben’s own saber blade was pure and calm in comparison. He was a bit jealous of his brother’s gift, as it was clear that the weapon was better constructed. When the excited young man had activated it seconds after grabbing it from his uncle’s hand, the bright sky-blue beam had nearly decapitated Val.

I am the second son, Val thought, I’m lucky to have received this. He held the blade in front of him at an angle, then gave it a few swings. The red light danced across the leaves of the darkened garden, long shadows danced across the ground as he recited one of the basic swordsmanship forms Korta had taught him. The weight of the weapon surprised him, it was heavy in a strange way, most of the weight concentrated in the hilt. When he swung the blade it was as if swinging in water, as if the blade itself resisted him. Within a few minutes he had grown used to it and attempted a few of the more acrobatic maneuvers Korta had trained him in. A poorly executed spinning slash almost went awry, causing the boy to reconsider further attempts, he was not prepared for that yet.

He sat beneath the Venell pine at the center of the grove. He lay the weapon before him for a moment, catching his breath. The air smelled of pine needles and sweet alien flowers of a thousand Imperial worlds. His mind drifted to his mother, before settling back on the weapon before him. I wonder… he thought. His eyes closed of their own volition and before he had truly thought it through, he was reaching out through the force. The weapon rose and activated, the red light fell across his face, far too close. He stumbled back, slamming into something immovable behind him. A woman stood before him, hand grasping the blade tightly.

Val felt overwhelming fear in her presence. She radiated malice and hatred. A blue light rose to meet the crimson, from her shadow appeared a second figure. They were both shadows, all was shadow, as Val sooned realized. He was surrounded by it, inky darkness that cloyed and crawled around them. Bolts of energy raced around them as they were joined by figures, thousands of men and women, a city of shades, more silhouette than being. They were at war, he realized.

The woman struck first, lashing out in a beautiful spinning slash that drove the man back. The blades flashed together like lightning in a storm, painting them in flashes of white, blue and red as they contended. So fast… was all Val could comprehend, they were hardly visible in motion, his mind only registering them in the moments between furious clashes. Their voices washed over him, distant and unintelligible, but filled with rage and pain. There was something else there, something beneath the rage and fury.

The shadows danced together, the light of their blades flashing and sparking as those around them fought and died in vicious close combat. The sound was otherworldly, screams of a million dying beings, of pain and desperation. Then something changed, as if the wind had suddenly shifted. It was a feeling, fleeting but intense. No, not a feeling Val thought, his mind searching for its source. He realized then that he’d lost the pair among the maelstrom. They stood opposed, gasping for breath as the world came undone around them.

The man stood first, leveling his blade. Fury overwhelmed Val, wracking his body in waves of confused sympathy. It was all encompassing, white-hot behind his eyes. He screamed, she screamed as she leapt forward spinning in a vicious attack aimed at the heart of her foe. She would overpower his guard and pin him to... 

The fury was gone as she realized what she had done. His blade lay at his feet, the blue light dead and forgotten. His arms hung limply at his side, offering no defense. She recoiled as the realization washed through her. No no no no their mind repeated. I didn’t mean it, they thought. She withdrew the blade, deactivating it, pouring her power into him, but he would not let her. Too much she thought, though it was not her own, Too late the voice said. She was beyond tears, beyond rationality and all awareness. The moment lingered as she tried vainly to repair what she had done.

Val awoke with a start, his heart racing, his mind in a panic. He wiped sweat from his face and tears from his eyes. The saber remained where he had placed it. It took a long time for him to dare touching it, fearing to see the horrific scene repeated. Eventually he ventured to do so, happy that the vision did not return.

He lingered there until his heart slowed and calmed. Finally he stood, putting himself together for the walk back to his room. Something stirred behind him, crashing down from above. Zeya’s bare feet crashed into his shoulder, sending him reeling down the path. He only barely managed to stay standing. His sister landed gracefully, her diminutive frame flashing toward him in a hail of kicks and punches. He laughed as she tried in vain to inflict her frustration on him.

“It’s not fair!” she yelled repeatedly as she wailed on him viciously. She attempted a few strikes at his face but her arms fell short of their target. His fit of laughter was making it difficult to restrain her, though ineffectual, she was quick.

“A stupid necklace!” she screamed. Val had hardly contained his laughter when Jae had greeted her with the gift. It was a small jeweled lace of great value, but Jae Siddall did not know Zeya. The girl had stared daggers at her brothers, green with envy.

Val tried to speak between gasps of laughter, “If you… stop… I’ll let you… hold it!” he wheezed. The deluge of blows ceased an instant later. “Give me!” she yelled, flailing her arms in front of him. He extended her arm, pushing her back a step. “Promise me you will be careful.” he said seriously.

“OfcourseI’llbecarefulnowgiveithere!” she squealed. Val held the weapon out slowly, pointing with his free hand toward the emitter, “The blade will extend from here when you activate it, point it away from me and hold it firmly.” he stated with growing seriousness. She calmed a bit, though she still radiated excitement and glee. She took hold of the saber slowly, then turned away from him. A moment later, with some effort, she activated the weapon. Red light flashed into being ahead of her, eliciting an enraptured, “Wooooooah” from the girl.

Val couldn’t help but smirk, “Give it a few swings, slowly and carefully.” he said. She did so with great care, deliberately tracing a path ahead of her. She took a few steps, swinging as she did so. Val’s smile only grew wider, he had a soft spot for his younger sister.

“Ben chased me out of the training room when I asked him.” Zeya said. Val figured that would be his reaction. For all of his merits, Ben had little patience for their sister. Actually, Val thought, Ben just doesn’t have patience. Zeya laughed as she began the beginner forms that Korta had begun teaching her only weeks before. Val noted that she was far more advanced than he had been at her age. She twisted once, aiming at a fallen branch and slicing it in two with a swing, it came apart neatly and glowed with rapidly dissipating heat where the blade had touched.

Zeya turned and smiled at her brother, then deactivated the weapon. A devious look came over her face, then disappeared as Val frowned down at her. The brat had momentarily thought of stealing the weapon and hiding it for herself. “I hate it when you do that.” She said glumly, then held the saber out to him. He took it gingerly, then placed it on his belt. “Do what?” he said mockingly. This response was met with an immediate punch to the hip that he oversold as excruciating.

“Thank you.” she said sadly, “Ben wouldn’t even let me watch him.”

“He’s not angry at you Zey, he’s got… things on his mind.” he said.

“Miri?” Zeya asked, “What happened to her? Noone will tell me!”  
Val considered this for a moment, “Somebody hurt her to get to Uncle Sharr.” he responded, knowing that she would see through any lie he concocted in the moment.

“Who? Ben keeps talking about the Adrass! Is it them? The lecturer won’t let me sit by Gyrael anymore.” she blurted out in rapid succession.

“Chiko Suvan.” Val replied bluntly.

“Who’s that?” Zeya asked.

Val’s smile was gone by then, “Grom Adrass’ daughter, Gyrael’s eldest sister. Well… half sister.” he explained.

“Oh.” Zeya replied, not fully understanding why that was important but realizing that from Val’s tone that it was indeed so. Val swiped at her hair, knocking loose a few pine needles that fell to the ground below.

“Time for bed I think.” He said, not bothering to check, explaining their feud with Adrass was not a task he was up to at the moment.

“Nooooooo…” Zeya said desperately, begging her brother not to make her. Val just smiled and turned toward the entrance.

“You know I heard that there was a kath hound pup loose in here somewhere…” he said with some menace. It was just a rumor of course, but the Kidann garden could easily have held such a creature. The scale of the place was more like that of a small forest than a garden.

“Not anymore…” Zeya said distantly. Val spared her a confused glance, wondering what she meant by that before resuming his stride toward the distant gate. He heard her padding up behind him, matching his pace with some effort. Together the two left the garden, entering the palace. Minutes later, as he prepared himself for sleep, Val laid the lightsaber upon the workbench.

For a moment he considered it, then curiosity got the better of his good sense. He reached out again, trying to see again the shadow world and the battle. He was unable to regain the vision. As he lay down to sleep he recounted every detail he could remember. Eventually, as his eyes grew heavy and his mind drifted away, the vision slipped and was forgotten.

Sharr Kidann was generally the most kind and joyful of Val’s four uncles. As he watched the man from his father’s side he was no longer so certain of the man’s nature. This was a side he’d not seen, the hatred that rolled off the patrician was sickeningly intense to Val’s senses. Sharr was consumed with a desire for vengeance. Miri was confined to the hospital, her wounds superficial but painful and debilitating.

Sharr had remained at his seat for as long as he could, his skin glowing red with the heat of his fury. He’d endured three days of fruitless investigation and argumentation without any motion toward recompense for his daughter’s suffering. When he broke, it was total and violent. Grom Adrass was seated to Tae’s left, only a meter away from Val’s position to his father’s rear left. The man’s face held a smirk of glee that Val found utterly infuriating, he could only imagine what his uncle felt.

Sharr Kidann clawed his way to the barrier separating the high council from the rest of the noble assembly, his eyes holding tears of desperation and rage. “As a senior councilman I demand justice for my daughter and my house!” Sharr yelled, his voice cracking on the latter half. This only deepened Grom’s smirk, causing Val to repress a violent impulse, the saber at his side called to him. It would have been so easy to… what was he thinking? Was that thought even his own?

Those kinds of thoughts had been coming easier than before. Val had begun to recognize this change slowly, wondering if this was related to the weapon at his side. The months since the attack on Miri had not been easy for the family. Though she would be okay physically, Miri was not the same person she had been before. It infuriated Val to see her that way. Nobody could have said a bad word about her, she was truly gentle in a way that defied reasonable expectations of a person. The pain she had endured, so deliberate and indiscriminate as it had been…

Grom’s voice rose to meet Sharr’s, his face twisting into a vicious sneer of contempt, “I have told you Kidann. House Adrass had no knowledge or culpability of the attack on young Miri’Bael…”

Sharr erupted as Miri’s name rolled off of the Adrass Patriarch’s tongue. “I denied your betrothal proposition and suddenly, without other cause my daughter is attacked?” Sharr’s anger was pointed, his next accusation drawing vicious hissing and shouts from the Adrass loyalists among the council. “Your bitch of a daughter is responsible! Miri herself identified her as the attacker!”

Grom’s sneer soured, his face twisting into pure anger at the accusation. Val noted that it was not genuine, the man was acting and doing so convincingly, were it not for the energy that radiated from him, Val May have believed his performance. “You will speak of my daughter with respect! She is not responsible for the attack on…”

Sharr could not contain his fury further, “I know who is responsible you bastard! She was merely the willing puppet of the decrepit reptile that fathered her!” The response from the Adrass loyalists was immediate and proportionate to the accusation. The entire floor rose from their seats, blows were exchanged as the council of nobles descended into momentary anarchy. Val’s hand rested on the saber at his side. Draw now while you still have the chance… strike down Grom and… His father’s voice commanded his attention.

Tae Kidann was standing now, speaking in a soft but firm tone into the projector. “Sharr Kidann, you have leveled an accusation against a member of the high council, what evidence do you offer?” The room was suddenly quiet again, the growing conflict stifled by the unexpected question. Sharr Kidann was silent for a moment, dumbstruck by his brother’s inquest.

“Brother, Miri identified Chiko Suvan as…” Tae waved his hand, silencing him. “A single witness is not reliable enough on their own to support a charge of this severity councilman Kidann.” Tae Kidann said, eschewing the familiarity speaking to one’s brother should usually elicit. Val felt suddenly ill, pity for his uncle mixed with hopeless anger as the scene unfolded before him. Val knew, everyone knew that the Adrass were responsible, but there was not enough evidence to hold them as such.

Sharr floundered, sputtering as he spoke. “I’ll kill you for this Grom! You’ll not get away with it!” The words hung in the air. Val suppressed another violent impulse as Grom relaxed, his smirk returning. He’d gotten what he wanted and this battle was now finished. “Is that a threat councilman Kidann?” Grom asked with barely restrained glee. “Guards, please detain the councilman, he is to be…” Tae Kidann was standing again, his hand raised, halting the already approaching guards. “No Grom, my brother was not threatening you, he was merely caught up in his passions.”

Tae’s eyes fell heavily upon his brother, disapproval and frustration evident. Sharr’s own were downturned, the shame of his previous actions now evident in the silence of the chamber. Grom did not challenge Tae in this, though he performed outrage well in the wake of it. Tae’s voice broke the silence moments later.

“This matter is contentious, but vital. Further quarrels of this kind cannot be allowed, we have a responsibility to the common good and to ourselves to prevent this from spiraling into conflict.” The room murmured some ascent to this. Tae turned to Val, his eyes boring into the boy for a moment, a minuscule smile crept onto his face before he turned back to the assembly.

“I believe it is in the best interest of the common good and in the pursuit of justice that this matter be investigated fully, to discover the culprits and absolution to the innocent among us.” He began, drawing soft cheers across the room. He held up his hand again, silencing them, his face utterly serious now. “In this pursuit I elect to turn this investigation over to the order of the Imperial Knights…”

Chaos erupted instantly, Grom stood for the first time, his veneer of serene indifference now broken. “This is improper! The Imperial Charter disallows the order from interfering in matters unless directly ordered by…” Korta strode to Tae’s side, handing a datapad to Grom. The man took it, his hands shaking with rage as he read the message upon it. He tossed the machine back into Korta’s chest as he turned and stalked away. Following their leader, the Adrass loyalists stormed out of the chambers, causing as much damage as they could on their way out, spitting and yelling at their opponents.

Val relaxed, he’d felt Grom’s rage at the moment of his father’s announcement. The look in the man’s eyes had been murderous, as if he were an instant away from ripping the Kidann patriarch’s throat out. Tae had been serene and passive, allowing the out-maneuvered Grom to make the next move, daring him to make such an attempt. The presence of Korta had dissuaded Adrass, he was not so foolish as to try something direct in the presence of a Knight. Korta looked disappointed, perhaps he’d hoped it would have been that simple, but it had only been a hope.

The council dissolved a few minutes later. Val watched from the doorway as Tae comforted his younger brother. Their conversation was brief and devolved quickly into the same disagreement that had shown earlier on the floor. Sharr would not allow the Knights to take vengeance for him, this was a personal matter that should be resolved as such. Tae argued elsewise, but even Tae Kidann, Governor of Taris could not dissuade an angry father from seeking revenge.

Val’s jaw dropped as the ultimatum was leveled, “I will strip you of your name, brother.” Tae stated coldly, not threatening, but promising. Sharr’s eyes widened, his bearded face setting into a scowl of disbelief. 

“You don’t mean that.” Sharr said dismissively, though his eyes were filled with concern.

Tae Kidann stood resolutely before him, nodding once, “I do Sharr, I will take it from you before I allow you to shame it.” He said, anger leaking into his voice. He placed a hand on Sharr’s shoulder, relenting a bit and casting his eyes downward. “We are above this, we have to be.” He said.

Sharr pulled away, his chest heaving with rage, only with great effort did he restrain himself. “You don’t understand, she’s not your daughter. I’ll kill him Tae, I swear it.”

Tae Kidann nodded, stepping back from his brother, “You will not strike the first blow, but we will strike the final, brother.” Tae said. Val’s heart hammered as the realization fell on him. We’re going to war. His father’s mind had been made up, it had been all along. He’d lured Grom into an honor trap, investigation of his house by Imperial authority would strike a terrible blow to his prestige. Now, with that sword looming above him the only option was to strike back.

It was unfair how much better Ben was than him. Val tried, he really did, but Ben was on another level when it came to blades. Val rubbed the sting from his arm, the low-energy setting of Ben’s saber hurt, but did not do lasting harm. Val was frustrated and that was causing him to be sloppy, he knew that somewhere deep within, but realizing it didn’t keep him from spiraling. Val looked up from where he sat on the wooden floor of the training room. Ben deactivates his lightsaber and placed it on his belt, his face creased with lines of annoyance.

Ben has refrained from taunting him today. That was abnormal, everything about Ben’s demeanor was abnormal. With every subsequent failure on Val’s part, Ben grew more frustrated with him. There had been many failures since they had begun sparring two days before, after Val had begged his brother to help. He was scared, he’d admitted that much to Ben. Not just scared but unprepared as well.

“Would you please try to make this difficult?” Ben asked, rubbing frustration from his brow. The elder brother was not even breathing heavily. Val was ashamed, he had no excuse to be this awful, it was neglect of his duty that had led him here.

He looked to the floor,ashamed to face his brother. “I am trying.” Val replied, anger bubbling in his throat, choking him enough to break his voice. He was tired, his body ached horribly from the rigors and exertion of their bouts.

“I know you are.” Ben said, Val looked up to see his brother closer now and moving toward him. Ben’s face was serious but reassuring, “I’m glad you want to learn, but I wish you’d have asked earlier.” Ben said, kneeling and offering a hand to help Val to his feet.

Val was stunned, Ben wasn’t so gracious in victory. He took his brother’s hand carefully, expecting some sort of punishment for being so trusting. Ben merely pulled him up, dusted him off and placed Val’s saber back into its owner’s hand. “This is not an easy thing to learn, it requires devotion.” Ben said, no doubt repeating something Korta had said. “Devotion Val, that's the difference between us, you are playing at this.” His brother said, holding his own saber up, his eyes looking down toward Val.

Val nodded, unsure what to say to that. He wasn’t wrong, as much as Val wanted him to be. “That’s okay Val.” Ben said, pulling his younger brother back, “You don’t have to choose this, the galaxy is bigger than that.” Ben added, stepping back. Val was filled with fresh annoyance at that, his brother didn’t think he had what it took, that this was a waste of time. Show him...

Val ignited his lightsaber, Ben spun to face him on reflex, his own weapon roaring to life. Val was already running, his weapon lashed out wildly, sudden strength lending him a heavy hand that pushed Ben onto the defensive for the first time. Val was a blur of energy, moving in a manner he’d never managed on his best day. He could win, he could beat his brother if he just persisted.

Experience slowly allowed Ben to regain his footing, years of training and devotion lent the older brother the endurance to weather the storm. Eventually, Val realized that he couldn’t break Ben this way, that even with this unnatural strength and speed, he was not strong enough. Desperation drove him, it was not permitted to use the force against your opponent directly unless a trainer was overseeing the bout. Win… the voice said.

Ben grasped at his throat, panic crossing his face as Val lifted him from his feet. Ben dropped his saber, surrendering but Val didn’t recognize that. Val saw only the shadows, the world burned around him. A cry rang out from below, it was Zeya. As he looked to the source the flames rose below him, black flames that clung and slithered as if they had a design. It wasn’t just Zeya, but Miri and Ben as well, his father and mother, Sharr, Korta and a million others. He wanted to scream but the black flames choked them back, his flesh burned as he watched and the agony tore his mind apart.

Something hit him across the cheek, sending him stumbling back. Ben’s saber clattered to the floor next to him as he fell heavily onto the floor. Val realized that Ben had used the force to toss the weapon at him. Ben gasped desperately across from him, his face red and eyes wide with pain. The two sat for a long moment, eyes locked as they considered what had occurred. Ben’s face turned from anger to worry as he stared into Val’s.

“H… How did you… do that?” Ben asked between gasps of breath. Val wasn’t sure, not sure of any of it. He wanted to run, wanted to get away from what he’d just done. He stood, moving for the doorway to escape but Ben caught him, still gasping. Val prepared himself for the beating that would follow, he wouldn’t fight back, he deserved it. Ben wrapped him in an embrace, as Val opened his eyes he realized that Ben was laughing through the pain. “That was amazing!” he would have yelled, but it came out more like a wheeze. “You have to teach me that!” Ben said with uncontained excitement, his voice still croaking.

Val was dumbstruck, “I… don’t know if I can…” Val said, his mind still remembering the flames, or if I want to, he thought. He still felt a small amount of that power, the overwhelming impulse that had guided him. Was that mine? He wondered to himself. He had felt like a passenger in his own body. Ben shook him a bit, “Hey! You alright?” he asked, his voice returning to normal slowly. Val wasn’t, but he was well enough to pretend that he was. “I’m fine… are you okay?”

Ben took a step back, “I’m fine.” he stated, clearing his throat. “Where did you learn that? Korta hasn’t taught me anything like that, I need to pass selection first.” Ben said with some frustration. Val relished this moment, Ben was jealous of him, probably for the first time in their lives. He smiled at his brother, “Well, I could show you but I’m not sure if you’re up to it.” he said viciously. Ben’s face twisted in recognition of his brother’s words, the same sentiment he had expressed to Val only a few minutes before.  
“That’s not what I meant Val.” Ben looked stymied for a moment, then held out his hands defensively, “If you want to do this, to really learn what it means to be a Knight, then you need to ask Korta.” Ben said with some exasperation. Val had considered it, but had not gone through with it as of yet. Asking Korta for training would mean taking the selection trials, committing himself toward the life of an Imperial Knight. Val wasn’t yet certain that was the life he wanted, not certain if he was even capable of starting down that road. He remembered the power he had felt in surrendering to the force, giving in to his emotions.

“He’s too busy now, when the fight with the Adrass is over I’ll ask him.” Val said reluctantly, his heart making a leap his mind hadn’t yet. Ben smiled, punching him lightly in the shoulder. “Great! We’ll go in together! The brothers Kidann, Knights of the Empire.” Ben said, his mind already imagining it. Val’s own thoughts strayed back to the flames. Ben grabbed Val and pulled him back toward the center of the room.

“Come on, just a few more bouts and we’ll call it a day, I’ll take it easy on you so you can keep up.” he said, his heart in the right place. Val grimaced at that, then ignited his saber. Ben quickly discovered that Val had been learning, and rapidly. Though he could not mount an offense to drive his older brother back, Val found that he could defend himself. With some time and a devoted effort, Val knew that he would one day match his brother. When they finished their final bout, Ben wrapped one arm around his brother’s shoulder reassuringly before leading their way out of the training room. Val smiled the entire way back to his room, the brother he’d lost with their mother had returned and the future was full of possibility.


	3. Chapter 3

The upper city burned. In the far distance Val could hear the report of blaster cannons disgorging their bolts as Adrass and Kidann forces fought vicious skirmishes across the sector. Smoke rose in billowing clouds from destroyed aircraft and vehicles while the streets were clogged with fleeing civilians and troops heading toward the front.

The clan war had begun quietly enough, attacks in the night, guards slaughtered at their posts on both sides. Fear and paranoia spread amongst the lower ranks, trigger fingers got itchy and blades were unsheathed. Eventually the first spark caught, somewhere along the borders of the territory. The Imperial garrison was withheld, it’s commander isolating the force inside the fortress near the Emperor’s spaceport. Communication with Imperial command was confused and sporadic, Adrass troops had seized the relay stations and sabotaged them early in the fighting. Of the 40 Imperial Knights assigned to the system, only 6 answered Tae Kidann’s call for aid. The battle lines were set and all that was left to them was to decide that battle’s outcome.

The Adrass struck the first blow, pushing the Kidann forces back. Initial losses had been terrible, the Adrass mercenaries eschewed the normal rules about the treatment of prisoners. The commanders of Kidann’s forces had been prepared to answer the Adrass in kind, but Tae had overruled them. Now, as the Kidann forces rallied behind the small contingent of Knights led by Korta increasing numbers of prisoners filled the lower level prison blocks of the Kidann tower. Val watched from his father’s side in the command center as they were marched through the gates far below.

The displays of the city painted a grim picture for Adrass forces. They had not had an answer for the Knights, nor for the Ebon Spring company. The two elite forces had fractured the Adrass offensive and opened a gap in their lines. Korta was reporting from the front every couple of minutes, the Adrass palace, a hollow reflection of Kidann’s own ancestral home, was now visible in the near distance.

A stray cannon bolt struck a nearby tower, blowing a gaping hole in its side and setting it ablaze. Val hoped that the inhabitants had fled before the fighting started.

“Val, go check on your sister, she’ll be bouncing off the walls no doubt.” Tae said, not sparing his son a glance as he read through the reports on the screen in front of him. Val thought of protesting, but a look from Ben silenced him. Val loved his sister, but that did not mean he wished to be her keeper. He turned and strode quickly from the room, hoping to return before Korta reached the palace.

He took the turbolift down three floors to the residence. He was greeted by the smell of burnt flesh and the screams of the wounded. The medical facilities below were overrun and any empty space that could accommodate them was in use. Val forced himself to look at the men and women that had sacrificed so much for his family. It brought him nothing but shame, made him feel a coward hiding in their safe and fortified stronghold. He promised himself that he would never allow himself to feel such again.

It was a moderate walk from the turbolift to Zeya’s room. The window was covered by the heavy blast shielding now and a digital display was installed projecting a view of the Imperial Gardens on Raeth. Zeya turned to look at him as he entered from her position on the floor. She was holding the necklace Jae had given her in one hand. Her face betrayed embarrassment, as if Val had caught her in the middle of something.

“You okay?” he asked, some suspicion leaking into the question. Zeya looked uneasy, her lie apparent before the words had left her mouth.

“Yeah I’m fine, just playing.” she said with a nervous smile. She radiated that nervousness, not just about the battle raging outside either, she was concealing something from him. Val crossed his arms and leaned against the wall next to her door.

“Playing huh? Well can I join you? I’m pretty bored.” he lied, now curious as to why his sister was attempting to deceive him. Zeya’s smile twisted into a scowl. “No, you wouldn’t like it, you’d think it was dumb.” she said quickly.

Val was now certain that he would discover exactly what she was up to. “Zey….” he said, narrowing his eyes and leaning in toward her level. She crumbled almost immediately, holding out the necklace. “I was trying to…” she stopped, her embarrassment growing more intense as she tried to explain. “I wanted to do what you did, that night in the garden.” she said.

Val was surprised, he hadn’t realized she had seen that much. “What did you see?” he asked, he wasn’t entirely sure what had actually occurred that evening, what had been real and what had been the vision. She shifted uneasily at the question, “You closed your eyes, then you were still for a while…” she gesticulated wildly for a moment, “Then you started crawling back and knocked into the tree, saying something I couldn’t hear from up above.” she explained.

Val nodded, it was what he remembered as well. “Can you show me what you did?” Zeya asked him. Val considered it for a moment, then sat down in front of her.

“Close your eyes and imagine an empty room.” he said. Zeya did as he said, then after a moment she nodded to him. “Now make it quiet and dark, a void.” he explained briefly. Zeya’s nose scrunched as she tried to imagine what he described. “Now, see the necklace, what it feels like in your hand, how it glitters in the light.” Val quickly recognized the serene expression on Zeya’s face, she had it. “Reach out for it.” Her hand rose from her lap, but Val immediately placed it back. “With your mind.” he said, suppressing a chuckle.

It was quiet for a long moment as his sister did as he described, her face remained calm, though her nose did scrunch a few times at the effort. Val could feel her reaching out, it was unmistakable and clumsy. The necklace rose from the carpet as he watched and Val saw his sister’s face as she smiled with glee. “Well done.” Val said, congratulating her, “Now, try and…”

The lights went out suddenly. A moment later the intrusion alarm began to blare. Val was on his feet as quickly as he could muster himself. Zeya was slower to rise, but moved to his side as he stared through the open doorway. Her glee had turned to confusion and fear, as he looked to her the first tears of panic were beginning to touch her cheeks. He knelt down to her and wiped them away, “Stay here, I’m going to lock the door behind me, don’t open it for anyone.” he said quickly, then turned away. Her hand grabbed his as he turned, stopping him in his tracks.

“Noooo. Don’t leave me.” she begged, Val could sense that it was concern for him, not fear that drove her. He smiled at her with false confidence. “I’ll be fine.” he said, hoping the uncertainty he felt was well hidden in his tone. He gingerly removed her hand from his own and tousled her hair. “I’ll be right back.” he promised, moving through the doorway before slamming it shut behind him. Two guards were nearby, their heads scanning for danger.

“Defend my sister with your lives.” he commanded. “It will be done.” One of them answered, unfolding the armor panels built into the walls. Kidann palace was a fortress by design, every aspect of its construction intended to provide its inhabitants with a defensive advantage. So how had they managed to shut off the power, he mused, not liking the answers that came to mind. He retraced his steps back to the turbolift quickly, the floor was abandoned save for the wounded and few patrols guarding them. Val tried his comm as he ran, but found that it was being jammed.

The controls on the turbolift weren’t operable. Val was close to panic now, the sounds of distant muffled blaster fire and screams called him to the fight. He ignited his lightsaber, cutting away the turbolift doors. They fell inward, clattering as they descended into the miles-deep darkness below. Val stifled a surge of vertigo as he made the mistake of contemplating that fall. His body was not responding to his mind’s commands at first. They need you… he thought, pushing himself to action.

His first step was the hardest, the ledge was barely wide enough, he deactivated his saber and secured it to his belt. As he began to climb the maintenance ladder the sounds from above became more clear. They were coming from the command level, Val realized. His heart hammered in his chest, the sudden stress and fear pushing adrenaline through his body as his mind raced.

He reached the ledge, scrambling up with all the strength he could muster. He cursed himself for waiting so long to embrace proper training as his muscles burned with the exertion. Ben would have no problem with this. He banished that thought from his mind, the dark whispers of his doubt would not serve him now. The door was shut above him, he crawled to one side and secured himself with one hand on a support beam. With his free hand, he drew his weapon and activated it.

The sound of screams and battle was close now, only restrained by the heavy metal door. He breathed heavily, collecting himself for what lay beyond. You are not ready, his mind rebelled. He slashed away the connector pins, then reached out with the force. It didn’t take much to subject them to gravity. They tumbled inwards, falling to join their colleagues deep below.

The sound overwhelmed him, the smell of burning flesh, ozone and death was with it. Val threw himself around the corner, finding himself in the middle of a maelstrom of blaster fire. The smoke limited his visibility, he barely had time to react when the mercenary flew from the haze, a vibrosword descending to snatch Val’s life away. Val met the man’s attack, slipping the blade into the ground with a parry.

Val felt the man’s panic, he had hoped to kill Val with the first strike. Val moved on instinct, the few days he had spent with Ben paying dividends now. The older man was more experienced, but Val was faster. Val took the attack to the man, a Devaronian, whom now stood directly between him and the command center. The vibrosword hummed nearly as loud as his own weapon, the sound of their clash was vicious. Val forced his opponent’s blade high, knowing that would open him to an attack that his foe would not be able to defend against.

He dug deep within himself, mustering his strength before extending his hand, sending his enemy flying backwards with a surprised and pained look adorning his face. Val heard bones crack in the wake of his push and the Devaronian mercenary screamed as he struck the wall in the distance. The dead alien slumped there, blood leaking down the wall where Val had crushed him. Bolts hammered at Val’s PDS, skittering off as the miniature deflector array fought to keep their carrier alive. He tried to batter away as many of the bolts as he could, but he simply didn’t have the reflexes to keep up. His PDS hissed as it approached its limit. Val leapt to reach the cover of a nearby pillar as the shielding failed completely with a vicious pop.

He tore the useless device off of his belt, he didn’t have a spare power pack for it and was unlikely to find one in the midst of the battle. He felt a pang of helplessness wash over him as blaster bolts sparked and ricocheted off of the scant cover he’d earned himself. It passed quickly as he felt a surge of sympathetic emotion from ahead. It was Ben, he was wounded and fighting desperately. Val’s heart skipped a beat as he found his brother’s opponent among the chaos. Their energy was cold fire, hungry for battle and the thrill of the kill. It was like sharing the mind of a hunting hound.

Val moved without considering it, stepping back into the hallway, narrowly avoiding a well-aimed blaster shot as he did so. He rushed forward, hoping that the sight of an oncoming lightsaber would trick his opponents into believing him a Knight. It worked, partially at least, as the fire slacked and a few shadowy figures withdrew down a side passage. Only two remained in his path, the nearest of which fumbled to draw a blade at his side. Val hesitated only an instant before slashing through the man’s body from neck to hip. He lost stride as the sensation of the man’s fleeting life force released its grasp on its vessel.

The dead man’s partner screamed something unintelligible and fired a well-aimed bolt that by all rights should have killed Val there in the palace hallway were it not for the lightsaber in the young man’s hand. Instead, it was sent back into the attacker with a swing that Val barely registered his luck in accomplishing. He nearly stumbled across the falling body as he attempted to jump over it. His attempt to recover sent him sprawling through the command center doorway, a bolt sizzling over him where he would have stood. Half-intentionally Val rolled into cover behind a console, taking a breath before peeking out to get a view of the battle.

It was madness, blaster fire and blades flashing in a melee of absurd chaos. At its center was Ben and a figure clad in the blood red of Adrass. Ben was struggling to keep up with the figure that Val could only assume was Chiko Suvan. Val recognized that ferocity and speed, as well as the aura that radiated from her like rolling peels of thunder against his mind. As Val watched she scored another hit, causing a fresh line of crimson to seep from Ben’s sword arm. He growled as he stumbled back, but recovered and forced his opponent to withdraw.

Val’s mind told him to remain, that he would only get in the way, but his heart told him something very different. He jumped, soaring higher than he’d managed to under Ben’s tutelage, coming down right between the two. Chiko didn’t hesitate to engage, locking Val’s saber with her own blade, a thin and vicious vibrosword that appeared to be a custom creation. Val came face to face with her as he matched his strength with hers. A vicious smile adorned her pale face, her eyes glowed with the red of Val’s own blade. It took all he had to hold his own as the two pushed for control of the clash..

“Saves me the trouble of tracking you down.” she said, her smile turning manic with the strain of their exertion.

“Val no!” Ben called from behind him. Val lost his footing suddenly, intense pressure striking him like an invisible hammer in the gut. He realized as he flew back toward a command console that she had caught him with a hand from below. She flourished mockingly as he struck hard against it, something in him cracking audibly as he did. She descended upon him before he could rise, his eyes tracked the blade as it reached out to snatch his life away. Ben filled the gap suddenly, his blue blade battering away Chiko’s. As she spun back, carrying her momentum away from the elder Kidann brother, she hissed a curse Val could not make out. His head swam with the pain of his impact.

Ben breathed raggedly, his chest heaving with the exertion and pain he’d endured. Val tried to rise again, but collapsed clutching at the broken ribs he’d heard before. He tasted blood and his nose burned with ozone and smoke. Ben spared him a glance, a short and morbid smile that Val found more disturbing than all the carnage that surrounded them. Chiko was on him a moment later, her sword led her way, Ben’s blade racing to meet it. Their first clash was brief and led directly into a wide horizontal slash that Ben barely avoided. The next attack was a stab that morphed into a shallow grazing cut. Ben hissed as the blade caught him across his left palm, blood dripped from the wound, staining his sleeves and forcing him to wield his blade single-handed.

Val pulled himself up using the console, banishing the pain from his mind with immense effort. He stumbled forward a step, wiping a thin screen of blood from his brow. A stray blaster bolt soared past his head, causing him to flinch instinctively away. Fresh pain from the sudden motion burned through him, forcing him to double over for a moment before he could compel himself to rise again.

A sound like tearing fabric drew Val’s eye. His heart stopped as the reality of the scene before him struck. A swordpoint had pierced through Ben’s back. Chiko withdrew it, spinning effortlessly into a downward cut that aimed at the neck of the elder Kidann brother. Val was too far away, too weak and far too late to stop her.

Chiko’s eyes narrowed with the thrill of her victory, glowing with fury and the light of the fire that now spread across the ceiling of the room. Those eyes widened when she stumbled back, her hands grasping toward her constricting throat. Val felt her panic, the sudden realization that she was powerless against this, that she’d made a mistake. Ben died in that instant, the wake of which struck Val harder than any blade might have. The sudden absence broke Val’s focus for only a moment, but that was all Chiko needed.

Ben’s blade leapt from his grip, flying into Chiko’s waiting grasp. Val had only an instant to react, raising his own blade to meet her. He never had a chance, he knew that from the start. Her smile was gone, which gave the doomed boy scant comfort. Val knew he couldn’t win, but he could die well.

Chiko leapt, her blade pointed toward the heart of her foe. Val moved slowly, his own blade held low in a half-hearted guard. Val saw her smile return momentarily, as she saw her victory assured. He pulled her toward him suddenly with his left hand, his right extending the blade toward her own heart. Momentary panic spread across her face as she recognized what he had done.

It didn’t hurt as badly as he’d thought it should. The blade struck him through, but the heat he expected didn’t manifest. So cold… he thought as he fell backwards, his enemy’s face contorted in shock as she crashed into him. With his last moment of consciousness, Val thought of Zeya, hoping that she would now be safe. He was gone before he struck the ground.

The world he awoke to blinded him. As his atrophied eyes adjusted he recognized the familiar designs that adorned the ceiling of his room in the Kidann palace. Then it all came back to him, his memories clawing from the peaceful darkness he’d fallen into. Tears came, welling heavily in his eyes. He rolled onto his side, his chest stiff and sore. The pain passed as he cried, his sobs echoing off the walls of his room. He stayed there for longer than he’d intended, the guilt and shame of his failure draining him of all energy or desire to leave.

Get up. Something in him said, but his body did not respond at first. Rise now or they will win. It said. He thought of Chiko Suvan, her pale monstrous face bathed in the blood red light of his blade. Anger burned through him, he could think of nothing else. It carried him out of the bed, though he stumbled and fell into the wall. As he regained his footing and braced himself, he saw the damage that had been wrought. Barely visible through the top of his robe was a circular scar that marked where Chiko had run him through. He traced his hand over it, remembering the cold of its passing and shuddered with the recollection.

He was thin and horribly weak now, his muscles had atrophied terribly and the mere act of walking threatened to overwhelm him. He was panting by the time he’d reached the doorway, some minutes after leaving the refuge of his bed. He slammed a hand into the control panel and the doorway opened revealing a guardsman. The older man turned, seeing Val struggling to remain on his feet. A surprised and frightened expression crossed the man’s features as he spoke. “Master Val, you should not be-”

Val collapsed then, his knees giving out completely. Darkness threatened to embrace him again, but he fought to stay in the light. He could hear the guard call for help, but could not muster the strength to speak himself. It seemed an eternity before more guards and a nursing droid arrived. The former carried him back to bed while the latter took his vitals. He tried to wave the bot away, but it either didn’t notice or was purposefully ignoring his commands.

Something landed on him, wrapping itself around his waist a little painfully. Val tried to focus on it, but his eyes were slow to do so. Eventually Zeya came into focus and Val forced himself to smile. She was smiling back, tears running down her round cheeks.

“Hiya Zey.” he said weakly, his voice croaking as he did so. He restrained an impulse to cough as his throat rebelled against the act.

Zeya tried to speak, but her words came out in blubbering halftones that made it impossible to understand her. Val raised an arm, wrapping it around his sister’s back in an attempt to comfort her. Then he thought of Ben and the tears became his own. The guards had left the room by this point and so the two remaining children of Kidann commiserate together. Val was glad he hadn’t gone, for Zeya’s sake more than all else. It was a long while before the tears slowed and Zeya relaxed the vice-like hug she’d inflicted upon him. She sat up, wiping the tears away with trembling hands. Then she hit him, not hard at all, but enough to get his attention.

“If you lock me in a room like that again I’ll kill you.” she said with genuine anger. Val smiled, trying to make a joke out of it, but none sprang to mind. He closed his eyes for a moment, just long enough to clear the pain originating from behind his eyelids. He dreamed of Ben and Chiko, the men he’d killed and the smell of death and battle.

His eyes opened into the dim light of evening. Zeya slept peacefully in the chair nearby, curled around a pillow. Val registered a figure at the foot of his bed, facing toward the doorway, his back hunched forward. It was his father, he felt that and so much more. There was an emptiness where once there had been so much more. “Father…” Val croaked, the call tumbling from his mouth.

Tae Kidann turned to see his boy, long lines creased the older man’s face in deep relief. He’d aged, his hair white in places where once dirty blonde had been. Val tried to rise as honor demanded, but Tae stopped him with a hand, moving closer. Val could see his father’s eyes now, where the emptiness lay. “I am so…” Tae’s voice hitched as he suppressed a sob, “Glad you are okay, son.” he said, fresh tears falling as he wrapped his hands around his son’s face. “I am so sorry.” he said, his voice shaking with pain and regret.

Val could do little else but weep, the guilt was too much. “It was my fault father!” he said, his voice rasping as his throat threatened to choke the words. “I failed him! I failed all of us!” Val cried, devolving into a terrible cough, the taste of blood now on his tongue. Tae shook his son, causing Val to look into his father’s face. There he found a ghastly reflection of the man that had raised him, a look that commanded Val’s attention. “You failed no one. Do you understand?” Tae said with the calm certainty Val had seen in him so many times before. “I am proud of you, always have been and never more than now.” he added, some of the shakiness returning to his tone.

Val smiled, but his eyes would not cease their flow of fresh tears. Tae held his son close and together they grieved all that had been lost.

Korta laughed as he saw the look on Val’s face. Val was in immense pain, the training regimen having its intended effect on him. The preparatory cardio circuit consisted of a grueling series of obstacles spread across a course spanning the entirety of the Imperial Academy. It was the pastime of many students to observe those that attempted the course, witnessing the birth and death of many Knights’ ambitions.

Val had struggled in the first months, not making it all the way through until the 80th attempt. He’d wanted to quit after his first failure but a familiar face gave him renewed strength. At the end of his pitiful and short first run he had collapsed, his body unable to sustain the pace he’d tried to uphold. There on the ground, gasping for breath and wreathed in cold sweat he had looked up to see Chiko Suvan staring down at him from ahead.

He had known she’d survived, carried away by her father’s soldiers during their confused retreat from the palace. Seeing her away from that carnage made him hate her more. In the standard training uniform of the Imperial military she seemed infuriatingly normal. The glare of pure hatred that adorned her face brought Val immense satisfaction. The murder in her eyes was evident, Val had wondered if she would tempt the guards and try to attack him right there, but her next action was far savvier.

She’d smiled at him wickedly, then turned and looked away, seemingly unfazed by any wound she might have carried. This drove Val momentarily mad, compelling him to his feet and motivating a few more pathetically clumsy steps before he again collapsed, slamming his palms against the floor in defeat. Korta had found him there a while later, laying a hand on his shoulder. Val had given all he had, but his body had failed him and Korta told him as much. The only option left to him was to continue every day until he caught her.

That wasn’t as simple as Korta made it seem. The damage Val’s body had endured had required reconstructive surgery to correct. The adaptation period his body went through during the weeks after his awakening could only be described as excruciating. The grafted bone and tissue inside him constantly fought to remain where his body wanted it gone. The medication treatments helped, but Val always found it difficult to leave the tanks, where the pain could not reach him.

The exertion Korta demanded of him in training was no help. At first it felt as if every muscle and bone in his body was aflame and being pulled away strand by strand. Cramps and fatigue were rampant, the last vestiges of the life-saving medication being burned out of his joints and muscles. “It will pass.” Korta would say, day after day. “This is weakness leaving the body.” Was his other favorite. He had been right, of course. That progress became visible on the course, in sparring and in the fading pain that grew weaker as he built himself back to what he was before. 

It wasn’t long until he pushed beyond that as well. It was liberating, to live with singular purpose, to have certainty again. In all forms his pain was falling away and the person being forged was far preferable to Val’s mind. He was lucky to have Korta and Zeya as well, both of whom made efforts to check his ego. Zeya’s efforts in that regard were particularly effective. She had joined Val often in sparring bouts since he had dedicated himself to walking the path of a Knight. She was growing taller and stronger before his eyes as the months wore on. He still had the advantages of height, strength and experience, but she was not to be underestimated.

Chiko had underestimated him and it had nearly been the end of her. The thought brought a small measure of joy to him. It passed quickly, the cost of his marginal victory far too high to consider it truly to be thus. A jolt of pain brought him back to the moment, standing across from his sparring partner for the day, one of Korta’s prospects. The sudden pain sparked something in Val, annoyance mixing with the hatred he felt for Chiko. 'How dare he.'

Val stood panting over the unconscious boy, his hand vibrating from the final strike. An instructor rushed to the boy, Arlo, and attempted to wake him. Val woke from his fugue suddenly, his eyes falling on Korta. His teacher stood at the corner of the ring, his arms crossed in front of him in obvious displeasure. Val moved to him, averting his gaze as he awaited the verbal blow that was sure to fall upon him. Korta merely motioned toward the unconscious boy, “Take him to the medical unit.” he commanded, stepping forward to meet his student. “You stay right where you are.” Korta said, pointing to him with his off hand. With his dominant hand, Korta drew a training sword from the wall across the room, the weapon sailing gracefully through the air and into his waiting grasp.

Val felt sudden fear as he recognized what was coming. His teacher’s aura was calm but fierce, he intended to instruct his errant student. “You useless bastard.” he said with ruthless contempt that set Val aback. “Fighting like that it’s no wonder you managed to get your brother killed.” he continued, shedding his cloak and tossing it away with a flick of his wrist. “It should have been you… you know that though, the arrogant little failure that you are, I hardly know why they salvaged you.” Korta’s eyes bored into him with cold disdain.

Val’s entire being burned with hatred. “I’m wasting my time with you.” Korta said viciously, turning his back halfway toward the door. “I should seek out the Adrass girl, she wouldn’t fail me so thoroughly.” Bastard. Val leapt forward, all of his might committed to a strike that would silence the arrogant traitorous old man’s stupid mouth.

He missed, the older man taking a step out of his path before hitting Val with the flat of his weapon. “Dead.” Korta said, stepping quickly but deliberately away. The blow was stunning but not painful and Val quickly pursued feinting with an upper-hand left slash that turned into a lunging stab. Korta evaded again, stepping forward and slapping Val with his free hand before dragging the training sword across his chest with liquid grace. “Dead.” he said again, pushing the boy away with a kick to the gut.

Val coughed, the kick had struck near his freshly-healed ribs. He let go of all control, driving forward with abandon, hoping to catch the older man off guard. He realized too late how foolish that was. As his blade descended toward Korta’s jaw, the older man stepped forward with unbelievable speed, catching him by the wrist. Val fought for only a moment before the strength of Korta’s grip began to increase. Pain wracked Val as he fought to free himself from the Knight’s iron hand.

“Have you had enough of defeat, boy?” Korta asked, loosening his grip slightly. Val looked into his teacher’s wrinkled face, into the eyes of a man who had seen more defeat and victory than Val would ever know. The grip tightened as Val hesitated, the training sword falling from his hand.

“I have!” Val screamed in both pain and desperation. The vice around his wrist released and Val fell to the mat clutching at it. The cold blade of a training sword touched his scalp. Val looked to see Korta standing above him. “This-” he said, tapping Val’s head with the blade, “-and this-” Korta thrust the tip of the sword toward Val’s heart. “-must guide and control each other. One provides the passion, the other guides that passion toward a purpose.”

Val nodded, understanding. The old man bent down to Val’s level, his eyes softening. “I won’t say you have no right to be angry, you have every right, but this hatred will not bring you what you want.” Korta said. “There are monsters out there Val, people and beings that are beyond redemption and reason-” Korta hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words, “Hatred created them Val, hatred in a thousand different faces.”

Val looked away, his anger returning as the implications became clear. “I cannot forgive her.” Val said with a wounded snarl.

“Nor do I expect you to.” Korta replied, “But if you must hold to your anger, guide it well.” Korta said, standing as he did so. “Compose yourself and prepare for another bout, I am going to seek an opponent for you.” the old Knight said, moving to the doorway.

Val sat at the center of the mat, closing his eyes as he breathed deeply. His mother had taught him to meditate before her death, but it hadn’t been until Korta’s training that he’d picked it up again. He tried to calm himself, but his teacher’s words still stung. Had he said those things only to goad him or was there a hint of truth in them? The doubt ate at him as his mind wrestled to control the impulses of his heart.


	4. 4

“Are you certain I’m allowed to be here?” Val asked, looking around the restricted records section of the Imperial Archive. This place was usually reserved for the most well-trusted and impartial of the Imperial government. Even Val’s father, the governor of the very planet itself had to request access in advance of a visit. Korta spared his student a reassuring glance.

“You are, as long as you are with me.” the old Knight replied, stepping into one of the private studies and gesturing for Val to follow before disappearing through the doorway. As he rounded the corner, Val’s attention was immediately drawn to the console at the far side of the small room. A comfortable looking plush chair sat in front of the console. Korta came to rest beside the chair waving his left hand at it before addressing the system tritely.

“Auth code 04190-Allegiant.” Korta stated into the microphone. The screen immediately came to life, the keypad illuminating as Val took the seat. “Locate reports 108, 121 and 231 under subject Adrass.” he said, the screen changing to honor his request. Eventually the flashing ceased and a readout appeared. Val skimmed the first paragraph, the preface left him momentarily stunned.

“What is this?” Val asked Korta, his eyes fixed to the screen but unable to comprehend. The next paragraph prefaced the covert hiring of mercenaries from nearly a dozen known systems and… Val blinked. “Unknown systems?” Val’s eyes left the screen, but Korta was no longer beside him. He turned just in time to see the man round the corner out of the room. Val thought of following him but knew that his teacher wanted him to see this without interference. He picked up where he had stopped, the revelation of extra-Imperial forces just as disturbing as it had been a moment before.

As he delved deeper into the reports, a picture began to develop. With each word a bit more of the overall image was illuminated. Training methods, weapons and even contracts carried out in exchange for credits and supplies. His eyes fell upon a name that set his heart racing with curious dread. The description of her training forced Val to stop reading. He sat back in the chair, staring blankly at the desk for a few long minutes as he recounted the details in his mind. He saw her pale face in the red light, the eyes that burned with hatred and it all fell into place.

“Did you see what you wanted?” Korta asked, breaking Val from his trance without prelude. The young man was startled momentarily, but settled quickly. He hadn’t any desire to know this about her. Doubt clouded his mind as he imagined one of the procedures described in the text, the slow removal of skin from the back and neck, one strand at a time as punishment for the most minor of failures.  
“No.” He growled, resenting the man for forcing this momentary compassion for her upon him. “It changes nothing.” Val said, his anger flaring as he remembered the smile Ben had given him before she had cut him down. “All you’ve done is show her to be an animal-” he said, rising from the chair, “-and I already knew that.”

Korta made no attempt to stop him as he fled the room. His heart hammered, the frustration waning slowly as he grew farther from the terminal. A dangerous thought crossed his mind, one that scared him more than anything. He wondered who she might have been if not for the way she had been- NO. His heart rebelled, seeing his brother again in a flash of clarity. It didn’t matter who she might have been, that person would never exist. Val was perfectly satisfied to kill the one that did, the pale-faced demon that had slaughtered his brother.

Zeya had nearly had him. She was prodigiously gifted in acrobatic maneuvers for her age. The spinning slash she had executed was quick, the immediate thrust carried through by her momentum was even quicker. Her failure left her open, however and Val capitalized. Striking at her wrist.

“Damn!” she screamed, dropping her sword. Val nearly chided her on her language, but thought better of it, nobody was around to hear her anyways. She bent to pick up the weapon, but Val stepped on the blade. The look in her eye was murderous as he pulled the weapon into his grasp, then tossed it across the room.

“Pick it up.” he said with a wicked smile. She sighed loudly, extending her hand and closing her eyes. “Eyes open.” Val added, trying to break bad habits before they set in. This was greeted with a growled, “I knowwww.” from his sister, who squinted to compensate. This was the hardest part of learning, imagining something is much easier than watching yourself do it.

The weapon wobbled on the floor, then slowly dragged across the ground nearly a meter. Zeya was holding her breath now, so Val made a show of his own breathing, trying to hint to her. She picked up on it and refocused her energy, breathing steadily now. The weapon continued to drag across the floor before Val stepped on it again. Zeya looked ready to throttle him. He tossed the weapon behind him and waited for the clatter before telling her to- but it didn’t clatter.

Zeya’s hand shot out, grabbing the weapon in mid flight. She smiled proudly, a satisfied giggle escaping her lungs. With a deft pulling motion the weapon soared toward her waiting hand. It missed by a small distance, striking her wrist almost exactly where Val had hit her. “Damnit!” she breathed through clenched teeth.

Val tried not to laugh, truly he did, but he just couldn’t help it. A moment later Zeya joined him and the two enjoyed the impromptu break that developed. Val sat across from her, tossing his training sword aside and pulling his lightsaber to him from across the room. It flew gracefully into his grasp. Zeya gave him the jealous look that was so familiar to him now. He broke her gaze and stared down at the weapon. A smile crossed his face as he made his decision.

“Take it.” he said, laying the weapon on the mat in front of him. The look on Zeya’s face immediately changed, she nearly jumped to her feet before Val could stop her. “It’s yours if you can retrieve it correctly.” he said, holding up a hand. A crestfallen look came over her for a moment, but was quickly replaced by a determined one. She steadied herself, extended her arm and drew the weapon into her hand with ease. Her smile returned as the realization fully struck her.

Val watched on as she ignited the weapon and set to swinging it about, even incorporating some of the acrobatics she was so fond of. It suited her, he noticed, she was born to this. He extended his hand, drawing something from his pack. Ben’s lightsaber fell neatly into his palm a moment later. The silver hilt gleamed as the sky-blue blade roared into being. Zeya landed on her feet after descending from a high-soaring flip, the smile on her face turning wicked.

“Switch to the training setting.” Val said, modifying his own weapon by flicking the small switch at the base of the hilt. The weapon reduced its energy output, the bright white of the cutting blade dulling slightly in response. She did so, her own weapon dulling in a similar manner. Val stepped back to his side of the mat, lowering himself into a fighting stance. Zeya mirrored him, adopting a modified version of the stance better suited to her physiology. Something about it was familiar to him.

Zeya initiated the bout and Val’s mind flared with the recognition as the pieces fell into place. His sister had adopted the same form as Chiko used in her fight against Ben. Korta had instructed Val in the fundamentals of lightsaber swordsmanship with a tendency toward the third form, Soresu supplemented by Ataru. Zeya was practicing Juyo.

She came in fast, almost as fast as Chiko had been but without the strength that had nearly driven Val off of his feet. He met her and shed her horizontal slash before using her momentum to send her stumbling by. The two had switched orientations as Zeya recovered her center and turned to face Val’s counter. He feinted low, then stepped back to lure her into chasing. She followed, but anticipated his attack and spun to both block and attack in a single movement. Val was forced to evade, rolling back before coming up in a low guard.

Zeya didn’t give him time to fully recover, leaping after him and striking in a vicious vertical slash. Val pivoted on his knee and caught the blade with his own, locking it into the mat before slipping inside her reach and grabbing her by the sword hand. He attempted a disarming strike, but she bent with him and used her flexibility and agility to slip free. Val pursued, wearing her down with quick but tiring cuts that threatened her but did not leave him over-extended. Zeya was well conditioned, but her style was physically demanding.

She began to slow, to over-extend, to make small mistakes that exacerbated her deteriorating situation. Val saw a wild look enter her eyes, fresh strength rejuvenating her for a single terrifying moment. The red blade came within a hair of his neck as he lunged back to evade the sudden horizontal slash. Her next attack may have won her the bout, had Val not anticipated the stab that followed. It was the same maneuver that Chiko had attempted on him in their duel. He locked her blade to the floor and grabbed her hand again, then disarmed her with a stunning elbow to the wrist. He kicked her back, causing her to stumble into a rearward roll. She came up into a low crouch and seemed about to leap right back into the fight.

Then she stood, smoothed her clothes and bowed her head towards him, conceding the bout. Val drew her lightsaber to his hand, then tossed it to her with a smile. She didn’t return it, knowing she had been very close to the kill with the horizontal slash. “I nearly had you.” She said with apparent frustration. Val shook his head, “Suuuuure.” he said mockingly. He looked to see her staring down at the weapon cradled in her hands. 

He took a step back as she rushed toward him, afraid that she was going to exact revenge for her defeat. Her arms wrapped around him in a tight hug. “Thank you so much!” she yelled, the glee in her tone warming his heart. “You did almost have me, by the way.” he said with a chuckle. “I know I did!” She exclaimed, stepping back and waving her arms at him frantically.

Val’s smile faded a bit as he replayed the fight in his mind, analyzing where he had failed. She had drawn on her emotions and the force in that moment, something he hadn’t been prepared for. Chiko would certainly do the same thing when pressured. He would be wary of that when the time came. It would not be long now, less than three months until the selection trials. He’d spoken with the other applicants and knew that she would take part. When their bout came he would finally have his chance for revenge.  
Zeya caught him in his reverie. “What is it?” she asked, breaking him from the happy thought. He felt momentary shame, though he wasn’t sure why that was. “Sorry, I was just running through the fight in my head, it’s how I learn.” he said, only partially lying. His smile returned, “You’ll pass the selections easily when your time comes.” he declared truthfully. Val couldn’t imagine there would be anyone to match her. At thirteen she was already nearly as proficient as he. Five years of continued training would put her into a league of her own. A shudder crept up his spine, providing him with further motivation to continue training. When the time came she would want to face him as an equal. Val imagined the person his sister would become, ferocious and far too clever, she would be exemplary in whatever she pursued.  
Her comm beeped, summoning her to the tutor’s office. She rolled her eyes and sighed loudly. “What’s the lesson?” Val asked, curious where she stood in her courses. Val himself was now free of that, his attention entirely devoted to the Selection.  
“The history of the first Galactic Empire.” she said with a bored expression. Val had enjoyed that subject, but the brevity of that Empire’s reign was amusing to him. “We just finished with a unit about the economic policies and doctrine caused the citizens to rebel.” she said, “I wish we’d talk about the battles more.”  
Val nodded, the battles were far more interesting on the surface. So much had been lost as a result of the cataclysmic wars revolving around the birth and death of the First Empire. The details of those wars were well documented, but the causes were left to the interpretation of knowledgeable historians that studied the period. The economic hypothesis was one of the more popular and feasible explanations. The most outlandish of them claimed that the first emperor was an all-powerful tyrant driven mad with power cruising about on a moon-sized planet-killing space station.  
That was unlikely to Val’s mind, but not impossible, the technologies of the ancient Empire were more advanced than the contemporary in many fields. The shield arrays that protected the most prosperous and valuable Imperial worlds were the height of technology and they were archaic when compared to the ancient array that covered the planet of Bothawui. Even the Bothans weren’t entirely sure how that array functioned, only how to maintain and control it.  
“I always enjoyed history.” Val said. Zeya was already moving toward the door and didn’t respond. He didn’t press the issue, it was idle chatter. He placed the lightsaber on his belt and pulled his bag to him as he passed it. Zeya waited for him at the door, giving him another grateful hug before running off toward the tutor. Val made his way back to his room, planning to wash and sleep a while before his evening lessons with Korta. As he entered his room, he elected to skip the former.

He was dreaming, he knew that all too well. Ben stood before him, that same damned smile on his face. Val approached him, the branches of the palace garden waving slightly with the breeze. Two steps from Ben the world went utterly black. Val froze, uncertain what had changed. A red blade roared into life ahead of him.  
Chiko stood before him, her pale face illuminated by the red light of her blade. Her eyes were gone, replaced by crimson pupil-less orbs that pierced through Val. His lightsaber was in his hand, he ignited it calmly and assumed his fighting stance. Chiko stood absolutely still, but her figure squirmed with writhing inky blackness that mimicked the armor she had worn that night. “You’ll never be rid of me.” She said.  
Val advanced carefully, challenging her but keeping himself centered. “Funny.” He said. “I was going to say something similar.” She attacked then, striking with the same blistering speed and overwhelming strength Val remembered, but Val was not the same boy he had been a year before. He met her strength and exceeded it, forcing her back.  
She struck again and again, her stamina endless, but Val weathered the storm. She slowed, grew desperate and eventually the attacks ceased entirely. She cowered before him, retreating further and further until she had nowhere left to run. Val watched as the realization of her doom settled onto her face. She screamed in rage and attacked in a final desperate attempt to retake the initiative. Val put his blade through her chest cleanly. The blue light illuminated her face. It was Zeya, not Chiko that looked back at him.

Val had him now. His opponent, Koll Tirakk, was a year younger than he, but exceptionally talented as a fighter. Without his force augmentation, the use of which was prohibited for the Selection bouts, Val and Koll were evenly matched in strength and speed. It came down to pure fighting prowess and though Koll was among the very best, Val had been trained by Korta.  
Koll came at him again, striking at Val’s legs in an attempt to force movement. Val obliged him, knowing that his foe would follow that attack with a crisscrossing series of shallow slashing attacks before attempting the kill with a well-aimed lunge. Val denied him this, moving inside Koll’s attack and catching the blade above their heads. He was rewarded with a look of surprise and a firm purchase on his opponent’s shirt.  
Val had control of his opponent’s momentum now and used it to throw the other boy to the ground.  
Koll made to rise, but Val laid the tip of his blade on his opponent’s neck.  
The fight was over. The presiding official stepped into the ring and declared Val the victor as Val stopped to help Koll to his feet. The boy hesitated to accept Val’s help, but smiled grimly after a moment. “You’re pretty good.” He said, accepting the offered assistance. Val returned his smile, “Good enough.” He replied.  
Koll’s eyes narrowed, “Watch out, I’ve been known to hold grudges.” He was laughing now, despite the obvious disappointment in his eyes. There were only so many that would be selected and falling in the first round all but eliminated him from contention.  
Koll ran a hand through his long dark hair trying to put it back into place. Val gave him a reassuring tap on the shoulder. “You’ll have it next year for certain.” Val said with a smile.   
Koll nodded at that, “Yeah, for sure.” He said with a smirk. “Just a shame I won’t have to go through you to get there.” Koll said faux-menacingly. Val liked Koll, on short acquaintance he reminded him of Ben.  
“You’ll get your rematch, don’t worry.” Val said, matching Koll’s tone. Both laughed as they moved to the exit door. The training rings were small contained rooms with viewing areas protected by reinforced transparisteel. Each had a single entrance through which the applicants would pass when the time for their match came.  
Two armed Knights guarded the doors. Many of the applicants were the children of powerful noble families or simply powerful in the force. Val had not been happy to see that, it limited the time he would have when his moment came.  
The time between matches was surprisingly freeform. After the initial opening ceremony presided over by the Knight Marshall of Taris, an ancient woman named Gialla Vo, the applicants had mostly gathered in the central hall of the Knight headquarters. Val recognized many of the applicants from shared social events. It had been refreshingly social after the months of isolation following the end of the Insurrection. He searched the faces around him for the only one that truly mattered. Chiko was not there, though that was not surprising. The Adrass’ defeat had harmed their standing terribly; Grom had probably restricted her to a closely watched guard lest his many enemies attempt to harm her.  
Val hoped she would show, he knew from the records Korta had revealed to him that this day was the culmination of a plan spanning her entire life to this point. An Adrass agent among the order of Knights was one of Grom’s premiere goals. Another source of legitimacy and leverage to be used in the pursuit of his true objective, control of Taris. Val would ensure that would never happen.  
The rules of the bouts were simple, no physical applications of the force and no attempted murder. The training swords were the ubiquitous standard model, armor was prohibited. The entire makeup of the Selection was intended to prevent the death of applicants. Val had been preparing to bypass those safeties.  
Koll waved him over to one of the viewing areas where a fight was already under way. Koll was practically putting his nose to the window as he watched. “She’s so fast.” He noted.  
Val froze as he recognized her. It was Chiko, in the midst of dismantling her unfortunate opponent. She had beaten the poor boy from the outset it seemed. He was younger than her, but tall for his age and the pained expression on his face caused Val to shake with fury. She was toying with him, targeting his soft spots and inflicting as much pain as possible. Val slammed a hand against the window, drawing her attention.  
She smiled viciously as she recognized him. A shiver ran up his spine when she struck again. The crack of splintering bone was audible through the wall. She’d broken his femur with a jumping kick that sent the boy to the mat. As he lay weeping she rained blows and kicks upon him. The official called for the guards, but they were too slow in responding. By the time she’d been forced away the boy was unconscious and blood pooled beneath his broken form.  
Val locked eyes with her as she was escorted away, that vicious smile having only widened in the wake of her actions. Now, do it now, his heart called. He took a single step toward her, but a hand caught him and pulled him back. “I can’t allow you to do that Val.” Koll said from behind him. Val turned to see Koll’s apologetic expression and immediately understood.  
“I knew Tirakk sounded familiar. You’re father is one of our retainers isn’t he?” Val said, addressing the handler matter-of-factly.  
Koll gave a surprised look, “Father said you’d pick up quickly.” He sighed, “He also said I should make sure you don’t do anything too stupid.”  
Val leaned in to address his new friend, “You sure you can stop me?”  
Koll considered that for a beat, “No, but I’d certainly try.” He said with a grim smile.  
The moment was lost, Chiko was too far now and there were too many who could have interfered. He would have to wait a while longer. Koll waved him toward the seats, “Come on, I’m sure the next fight will be interesting enough.”  
Val’s second match put him against a twi’lek girl from the lower city. It was apparent that she’d never truly trained with a blade. She was immensely gifted in the force, however. She’d used her power to predict and anticipate his attacks, giving her small openings that would have threatened him if not for her lack of skill with her weapon. It was immensely unfair to her, if she’d had those skills she may have been a true contender. He hoped she would find that teacher, but doubted any would take the risk. It was always more profitable to teach a noble, even if they failed to advance, the pay would be compensation enough.  
He disarmed her, then pushed her to the ground and held the blade to her throat. Tears of frustration welled in her wide eyes as her dream crashed down around her. Val felt pity for her, reaching out to help her up, but she swatted it away. He felt her hatred intensify as she stood and walked from the ring.  
Koll was waiting for him outside, a congratulatory smile on his face. “She never had a chance.” He said. Val nodded but did not feel it worth celebrating, she never had.  
“I’m going to check the boards”, Val declared. Koll had been his shadow throughout the day. It didn’t annoy Val as much as it should have, mostly because Koll was good company. They shared an appreciation for martial arts and for the female applicants. Koll’s greatest regret, it seemed to Val, was that he didn’t get another chance to fight after his defeat at Val’s hand. As he explained it, he’d been the best fighter among the sons of Tae Kidann’s retainers. If Val could not beat him, he certainly would not have beaten Chiko.  
It was a political move, insurance against the loss of face to the Adrass. Val did not resent Koll for that, but he wasn’t flattered by the apparently weak opinion his father had of him. Koll followed him across the hall to the standings board. Val’s name had advanced into the next round of bouts. With some surprise he noticed Koll’s name as well. Koll caught his eye with a smile. Val landed a congratulatory punch on his friend’s shoulder. “They must have recognized my talent.” He said with faux-arrogance.  
Val checked the board for his opponent. Of course, he thought as his eyes fell on Chiko Suvan. Koll had yet to notice, so Val raised his hand, pointing to the name on the board. A look of solemn recognition fell over Koll’s face, but was quickly replaced with a determined scowl. “It will be a good fight.” He said, knowing he would not win. There was a chance Koll could prevail, but it was a very slim one. Val remembered his first encounter with Chiko, how thoroughly she had beaten him with minimal effort. He’d won that battle, from a certain point of view. When fighting someone like her, survival was tantamount to victory.


	5. 5

Val’s fingers tapped nervously against the bench as he waited for the bout to begin. Koll had arrived early to prepare, having not fought since his morning duel with Val. He stretched and familiarized himself with the training blade provided to him. Val had treated him lightly in their bout and so his friend was unharmed and well rested at the least.

Val had not seen Chiko since the incident that morning. Her handlers must have tightened the leash to prevent further incidents. He’d wanted to distance himself from Koll, to ensure that Chiko would not repeat the ploy she’d attempted earlier. It had been Koll who had dissuaded him, stating correctly that she had already seen them together.

She arrived suddenly, storming into the room without fanfare, training sword already in hand. The official waved her to her respective starting position. Koll moved to his own, bowing respectfully to his opponent. Chiko merely flourished her sword, her pale face set in a sneer of contempt. Koll was unfazed by this, adopting his fighting stance. Chiko mirrored him, setting herself into a solid July opener. Val realized immediately that something was wrong.

Chiko spared him a glance as the official raised his hand to signal the start. A cold smile crossed her face as his own twisted with rage. She wasn’t just going to beat Koll, she was going to humiliate and break him.

Her work began immediately and violently. Koll surged forward, pressing the offensive in an attempt to gain advantage. He succeeded partially, catching Chiko off-guard in mid leap. Val had to appreciate how quickly she adapted to the unexpected aggression. What would have been a high top to bottom slash was abandoned in favor of a kick that landed squarely in Koll’s chest, driving him back and down long enough for her to recover.  
Again Koll pushed forward, hoping to leverage the marginal brute strength advantage he held. It was the right action, but futile. Chiko changed tact again, using Koll’s momentum against him. She crouched, targeting Koll’s knees while simultaneously parrying with her sword. As he crashed into her, she sprang upward, her entire strength harnessed in the maneuver. The results were spectacular and elicited a gasp from the crowd now watching the bout.  
Koll landed hard, having spun entirely around in an ungraceful cartwheel. He came down head first, barely managing to get an arm out to protect his head as he did so. It was poorly performed, though Val could not blame him for it. As he struggled to stand the arm hung limply at his side. His sword arm was unharmed but Val could tell that the fight was over. Chiko, it seemed, did not share that sentiment. Koll managed to block the first strike but the second upward slash caught him on the wrist. As the blade fell all too slowly to the floor Chiko unleashed a violent barrage of blows on her undefended opponent. Val could only watch as Koll was reduced to a bloody and battered heap before the official could intervene.  
Koll was conscious, wheezing terribly and seemingly in immense pain. Chiko has withdrawn to her corner, the official standing between her and her ruined opponent. A medical team was shouldering its way through the crowd toward… A gasp went up, causing Val to return his attention to the room.  
Koll was attempting to stand, his sword remaining on the floor where it had fallen. He looked directly at Chiko, mouthing something inaudible to Val, then turning and limping toward the exit. Whatever he had said, it had an immediate effect on its target. Chiko screamed with rage, leaping over the official in her pursuit of Koll. Something flashed within Val’s mind, a sudden sense of impending danger. He reacted without thinking, his hand moving before his mind had caught up.  
Chiko flew back as an unseen hand met her mid-leap. She rolled with it, attempting to land on her feet but unable to fully recover with her arrested momentum. Instead, she struck awkwardly and tumbled, landing in a heap at the far side of the room. The two guards entered, drawing stun sticks more for intimidation than to actually quell her. Chiko stood, seeing the approaching guards. With a motion like an exaggerated two-handed clap, the two guards were suddenly crushed together by an unseen force. With another wave of her hand, the official himself was launched violently into the transparisteel. Nothing stood between Chiko and her prey.  
Val ran, pushing the now panicking members of the crowd aside as he did so. He reached the doorway just as Chiko was beginning her attack on Koll, who stood dumbstruck just in front of the door. Val reached out, pulling Koll’s training sword to him as he leapt in front of his friend, simultaneously force-pushing him through the doorway to relative safety. As she descended upon him Val saw the satisfied smile on her face and knew that he had done exactly what she had wanted. 'So be it,' he thought as she reached him.  
The metallic skkrrriiiing of their weapon’s first clash revealed her ploy. Sparks danced across the padded floor as Val danced back, trying to gain distance and time. Her blade had a hidden edge, he cursed the incompetent official whom had failed to inspect her equipment as she surged toward him. He could defend himself, but could do no true damage to her with his own weapon. It was not ideal, but the training sword was not his only option.  
She rained blows upon him, her stamina seemingly inexhaustible. There was nothing left but to defend himself. She chased him across the ring, seconds dragging like years as he waited for an opening. He strained against the unending barrage, his eyes locked with her own, the madness in the latter plainly evident. Her aura was different than before, in their last battle she had been cold fury, a void at the center of which was an endless hunger for violence. Now she was all rage, honed to a fine edge and pointed directly toward him.  
He stood even with her, the long months of intense training having put him at the peak of conditioning. Her own training was not lacking, however, in fact it was clear she had advanced greatly in her skill. The flaws Val had counted on exploiting were slow to reveal themselves. Her maneuvers were robust and always perfectly executed. She didn’t over extend and was far too keen to allow him to maneuver her into a favorable position. Without the ability to mount an offense with his own blade, Val was forced to turn to his second option.  
The first attempt to catch her was repulsed. She had anticipated him, evidently remembering their previous encounter. The invisible hand that grasped at her throat was pushed away just before finding purchase. She retreated momentarily, the realization of how close he had gotten evident on her features. Val smiled knowingly, attempting to guide her rage into a favorable state for his plan. She did not disappoint, immediately closing to attack, her eyes already imagining the bloody ruin she would reduce him to. The viciousness of her first cut nearly drove him to the floor, the vertical slash sent a shock through him that caused his teeth to chatter and heart to skip a beat. She was drawing on her rage, spiraling deeper into the battle fury that her teachers had cultivated so carefully.  
Val wanted to feed that anger, to distract her and buy another shot at her. He slapped her once with the flat of his blade across the arm. If it had been his saber it would have been glancing and painful, but was merely a taunt with his training blade. Chiko didn’t react how he expected, the strike was stunning to her. She took a step back looking to the spot for an instant as if it was on fire. The look she gave him after recovering from the shock was like nothing Val had seen before. It was panic, rage and also something else, something primal and terrible.  
Her sword lashed out suddenly, coming up just short of his neck as he fell backwards into an evasive roll. He tossed his own blade underhand, aiming for her head but knowing it would not connect. She deflected the spinning weapon with a flick of the wrist and in that moment he had her. The sword dropped from her hand, clattering to the mat as she rose from the ground. Val rose slowly, both hands raised, miming the invisible hands that squeezed and lifted his opponent. Her eyes grew frantic as he fought to maintain control, she mouthed curses and threats but could not give them voice. Then her expression changed and Val knew he’d made a mistake.  
The sword sailed toward him from the mat. There wasn’t enough time to stop it, not enough time to evade it, but there was enough time to finish what he’d come to do. Fair trade, he thought as he committed himself to the deed. An overwhelming force struck him, sending him staggering back, tumbling into the wall behind. The sword struck tip-first into the wall next to him, sinking nearly a foot into the durasteel. Chiko was gasping, her eyes full of hatred as she stared at Korta, who stood at the entranceway, his expression furious.  
He wasn’t looking at Val, he wouldn’t have time to stop him. Val raised his hand, drawing the sword free of the wall with a scream of pain as he relied on the pure power of the force. It came loose, shooting across the room at barely-perceptible speed toward his target. Chiko saw it, but was far too late to change her fate. Val knew that there would be hell to pay, that he may even be executed for the act. 'So be it ', he thought, as his heart hammered and the moment marched toward it’s inevitable conclusion.  
Korta intervened, striking the blade down in mid-flight mere nano-seconds before it would have struck Chiko through. He was a blur, faster than Chiko, faster than anything Val had ever seen. It was as if he had taken one long instantaneous step from the doorway to Chiko’s side. The golden blade of his lightsaber was still for a moment as Korta looked from Chiko to Val, his face set in a stern look of disappointment and regret. Val felt as though he’d been kicked, the wise eyes that had seen so much hope in him stared through him.  
“Arrest them both.” Korta said with a neutral tone Val didn’t recognize. Chiko put up a fight as they descended upon her; if not for the rigors of her previous battle, she may have stood a chance. Val merely stared back at Korta as his mentor deactivated the weapon in his hand. Eventually Korta looked away and stalked from the room. Val was not ashamed of what he had done, or so he told himself. He had done it for the best reasons, there was no doubting that. Koll was waiting near the door, a medical droid tending to his arm as he stood. He did not need to thank him, they didn’t need to say anything. Val merely nodded to him and Koll returned the gesture. Then they led him away and for a moment Val was uncertain what the future held.

Zeya wasn’t crying, she was beyond that now, her eyes still red from the long day’s work. His father had demanded many things, as was his right as governor. Korta had taken the verbal lashing with equanimity, his face set in that same neutral expression which had adorned it at the moment he’d saved Chiko. Val felt sick thinking of it, that same kick-in-the-gut burn that he’d been unable to soothe since his failure. Even the news of his selection had not broken that horrible feeling, though it had stunned him thoroughly.  
Val had been surprised when his father explained it to him. The Knight council had taken his actions into account, both righteous and otherwise, finding him worthy of further training. He had fought against the odds and overcome them. Skill, bravery and nobility, what more could they ask of a knight? Val remembered the look on Korta’s face, the disappointment and confusion. There was something he was missing, something he did not yet understand.  
The shuttle approached slowly, giving Val, Zeya, Koll and the rest of the household enough time to say goodbye. Val had been preparing for this day for nearly a year, but the circumstances could have been better. Zeya managed a smile as she released him from the vice-like hug she’d had him in. Val returned a smile, putting on a brave face for her one last time. “I’ll contact you as soon as I can Zey, keep at your training.” He tussled her hair before turning toward the oncoming shuttle.  
As it came in for its final approach, his father stepped to his side. Val turned to him, his smile fading as he realized that it was time. “I’ll make you proud father.” Val said, his voice shaking as he restrained the pain in his voice. Tae looked to his son, a surprised look on his face. He looked for a moment before turning to Val and embracing him. “I always have been.” He said, his voice calm and clear. Val looked into his father’s face, seeing that he meant it.  
The shuttle touched down gracefully, its landing gear and ramp extending as its door opened to reveal Korta. He was smiling again, though Val sensed an underlying darkness. It was not how he had imagined this moment. Korta moved carefully down the ramp, stopping just before the pair. Tae nodded to the Knight, a slim smile returning to his face, before turning to Val. A thought seemed to manifest on his face as he did so, “Make yourself proud… of who you are.” he said almost distantly. Val considered that for a moment, then nodded, “I will dad.”  
Tae smiled widely, but there was a sadness in that smile. He laid his hand on his son’s shoulder a final time, then moved away. Korta filled that space, gesturing up toward the waiting doorway. “After you apprentice Kidann.” He said, some pride in that statement. Val spared a final look back to his family and home, feeling as though he would never see it again. Zeya put on her best attempt at a smile, but Val could hardly look at her. She was losing her big brother again, even if it was only for a short while. They’d grown close since Ben’s death.  
“You’ll be back Val.” Korta said with a reassuring smile, “I’ve foreseen it.” he added. Val looked at the man, noticing some of what he had lost returning. They would return to where they had been, exceed that bond and grow to be great friends. Val took the first hard step up the ramp, the rest were not so excruciating. He didn’t dare turn back, fighting with all he had not to cry. He waited just inside the door, leaning against it for strength. Korta had lingered behind for a moment, it seemed. Val straightened himself as his master strode through the door, a hand keying it closed as he did so.  
The change in Korta was instantaneous. One moment he was the reassuring mentor and the next the darkness had settled over him. “Follow me initiate.” he said to Val, moving deeper into the shuttle. It was one of the larger Imperial variants, retrofitted for ambassadorial work. Val moved behind his master, through the cramped corridors and into the cockpit. They were already breaking through the outer atmosphere toward their destination. That destination became immediately apparent as the sleek and vicious lines of a Star Destroyer came into view. Val’s eyes widened as the Triumphant came into closer view.  
“It is…” Val didn’t have the words to describe what Triumphant was. The ship was one of three remaining in its class. The largest and most powerful ships the Empire had built, a relic of the wars of conquest that had built an Empire from the core to the far reaches of the mid-rim. Kuat and Raeth had collaborated in their design, the hull was distinctly Kuatite, the weaponry, outer lines and shielding were the contribution of Raeth. It was deceptively beautiful, retaining the angular efficiency of Kuatite while incorporating the aesthetic elegance of Raeth.  
“She is exactly what we needed her to be.” Korta said dismissively. “Something I hope we will never need again.” he said, his eyes affixed to the ship, remembering the wars. Val knew Korta had served during the final conquest, but hadn’t been bold enough to question him about it. The look in his eyes quelled further interest in the subject. They approached the hangar, a fighter escort entering ahead of them. Val could see a group of Knights, clad in the gold and white combat armor Korta never wore, waiting on the deck.  
Korta turned to him, inclining his head toward the door behind Val. Val moved, retracing his steps back toward the ramp doorway. He was growing increasingly nervous, wondering what awaited him down there with those who had gone through the process ahead of him. Korta arrived as they touched the deck, the shuttle groaning slightly as the landing gear locked into place. Val took a deep breath, a sudden feeling of panic descending upon him. He looked to Korta, but the Knight was staring straight ahead, waiting for the door to open on the pilot’s command.  
When it did, Korta slipped quickly through, not waiting for his apprentice. The formation of Knights straightened as he approached, respect for the only true war-forged Knight among them. Val followed, moving more carefully than he usually would to avoid stumbling on his first interaction with his peers. Korta reached the bottom of the ramp, joining the others and sharing a few smiles and handshakes. Val smiled at that, hoping to earn that kind of greeting some day. He stopped respectfully at the end of the ramp and waited.  
Eventually the cordialities ceased and Korta’s attention turned back toward his student. “Val these are your brothers and sisters in arms. They will assist me in your training, give them respect and you will earn theirs.” he said plainly, then turned toward one of them. “How long?” he asked the man. “Coming in now.” the modulated voice said through the mask of the helmet. Val turned to see another oncoming shuttle. Val turned to Korta in confusion. “My other student.” He said calmly, “The council selected three this year.” Korta said with a smile of pride. “The other will remain with Marshall Vo for her training.” Korta explained.  
Two students, Val mused. That was abnormal and spoke to the respect afforded Korta by the council. As the shuttle touched down Val put on his most welcoming smile. The ramp descended and the door opened, revealing an armored figure, another Knight in their combat armor. As the knight stepped out of the way, Val’s eyes locked with Chiko’s.  
His smile died as he stared incredulously into the soulless void before him. He drew the saber from his belt and was moving before his mind screamed with sudden agony. Lightning flared around him as he collapsed to the cold floor below. It ceased as quickly as it had come, and left Val writhing in pain as his body burned from its passing. He rolled slowly to see Korta staring down at him, his hand still sparking from the electricity he had conjured. Val’s lightsaber drifted leisurely into Korta’s hand.  
“I have tried to break you of this, to use words to teach this lesson.” Korta said, looking down at him with scorn. “Now I will ensure that the lesson is never forgotten.” Val saw Chiko approach, then watched as Korta erased the victorious smirk from her face. She fell a few paces from him, screaming with pain. “I will cure you both.” Val was overcome as the lightning resumed, his eyes falling on Chiko, already unconscious. In the moment before he fell from consciousness, Val forgot how much he hated her because in that terrible moment, they shared a new and terrifying enemy.


	6. 6

His eyes burned with the light of the training room. It had been many days since he’d last slept, though he was not sure of the exact number. Val could hardly bring himself to focus, let alone to put up any sort of fight against the Knight that opposed him. They never revealed their faces, a cruel tactic to prevent Val and Chiko from telling them apart. There were small differences, but under the terrible strain of the training regimen Val had no energy to discern them.  
He defended himself as well as he could, lasting a few scant seconds against his opponent. The sting of the training sword’s impact stunned him, another bruise to be healed. He had many of those, cuts as well, though they hardly hurt anymore. Pain was relative and none was so intense as the lightning. It was unavoidable, the punishment for not retaining a lesson hard taught. The martial arts of sword and fist were left to the faceless Knights, but matters of the Force were Korta’s domain.  
Val dreaded those lessons. He had a basic grasp, the influence of the Korta he had known before. Now his master demanded more and Val found his skill lacking. The compounding failures frustrated him more with each passing day. He took little solace in Chiko’s simultaneous failures. They had avoided each other to be spared Korta’s wrath. The only lesson they were forced to endure together was Korta’s instruction. This was another reason he hated these lessons.  
He was forced to watch her unravel. It was surreal to see the fierce, wild girl slowly be broken down by the endless suffering they shared. Val had seen the tears she had furiously wiped away, the distant look in her eyes as she prepared herself for the inevitable pain that would crash upon them. She was his only companion, the cruelest fate that Korta could have inflicted upon him. Val had come to hate the man, this monstrous construct and its faceless lackies.  
His refuge was the small sparse room afforded to him. A bed and a desk, limited access to the ship’s archive, secluded from the rest of the ship. He could feel those surrounding him, the crewmen and women that lived around him, unaware of the suffering that he endured only a few meters away from them. He hated them also, wanting to reach out and make them see, but unable to reach their minds.  
He sat on the floor, trying to collect himself as his mother had shown him under the ancient pine back home. He felt her approach, stopping in front of his door for a long moment. He reached out, waving it open and fixing her with a stare of pure hatred. She looked back at him with hollow eyes for a moment, then looked to the floor. “Can I come in?” she asked, her voice distant.  
He didn’t know what to say, his mind frozen and heart empty. That hatred felt so hollow now, in this moment. Where had the monster gone? Before him was a girl, fierce, powerful and desperate, just as he was. His heart rebelled, a sickening feeling welling from deep within. She waited patiently, her face passive and eyes averted. Val gave her a long, considered look. He had guarded himself against her, knowing what her tutors had created. 'Don’t.' His mind cried, but his heart opposed. There was little she could do to him now.  
He reached out and sought her mind for the first time since that horrible night in the command center. He withdrew just as quickly, his curiosity sated and his mind reassured. This was no act, no ploy or deception. She was the only one who knew what he felt and he found a form of security in that. Finally she looked up at him, knowing what he had done. Her ice blue eyes stared into his own, he felt shame, having invaded her thoughts.  
“Come in.” He mouthed, his lungs unable to full carry the words. She took a single step inside, then sat down as the door closed behind her, resting her back against it. He pointed to the tray of flavorless nutrient paste on the desk, “Want some?” he asked with a grim smile. She didn’t find it funny, or so it seemed at first. A smile slowly spread across her face, neither vicious nor taunting. He laughed at that, attributing it to the madness wrought by lack of sleep. “What do you want?” he said, laying back on the cold floor, hoping he might fall into unconsciousness if nothing else.  
“I want to beat him.” she said, her voice shaking with emotion. It wasn’t just pain, but reluctance and anger as well. This was just as difficult for her as it was for him, perhaps more so. To live her entire life time, tortured and abused only to find herself in more of the same as punishment for her failures. He looked at her seriously knowing she was genuine by the look on her face. She truly did want to defeat Korta, if not to end the pain than to have succeeded in something. They both needed a victory.  
“We can’t win.” Val said with a sly smile, his own voice shaking with the sudden relief he felt. It was good to have an ally, someone who understood what he faced. “Korta is beyond either of us.” It was the truth, the Knight’s power was overwhelming and something in Val screamed that he had yet to show the true power he held. It was inspiring and troubling to see just how much Val did not understand about the power he wielded. How much might have been different if Korta had been in the command center that night?  
“We can stop the lightning.” she said, breaking Val’s fugue. This was something he’d not thought of, didn’t think himself capable of in any case. He considered it for a moment. The force was energy, the life-force of the entire galaxy, and they were just directing the flow of that energy. IF that were true and not just theoretical, then surely they might be able to direct or even absorb that power. Simple in concept, but something told Val that it would not be so when faced with reality.  
“Maybe.” he said, meeting her eye with a hopeful smile, “I hadn’t thought of that.” he added gratefully. She looked away, “I know it’s stupid, you don’t have to tease.” She said, discouraged. Val leaned forward, “No, I’m serious, I hadn’t considered it.” he explained, trying to reassure her. She returned her gaze back to him, he did his best to keep the comforting smile on his lips. “I’ll look through the archives, maybe there will be something…” she cut him off there, throwing a data cylinder onto the floor in front of him.  
“I swiped it from one of our brothers during sparring today.” She said, massaging her shoulder, he could see the bruise along her collar. “It should let you access the full archive, maybe even the holonet.” She said with a groan as something popped into place beneath her skin. Val pulled the cylinder into his hand, then placed it on the bed beside him. “Why didn’t you…?” he began, she sighed, “Must I do everything?” She said with a mocking smile. Val nodded, “I didn’t mean it that way.” he explained. She nodded, “I know Val.”  
It was the first time she’d said his name, it seemed alien to him then, as the words hung in the air. She stood slowly, in obvious pain. Val stayed on the floor, unwilling to test his own meager strength, lest he collapse entirely. As the door opened and Chiko turned to step into the hall he spoke. “Thank you, Chiko.” He said, a small smile touching the corners of his lips. She halted halfway through her turn and nodded appreciatively to him. “Try to sleep.” She said. Val nodded, “You too.” he said, seeing the dark circles under her eyes.  
The door closed behind her and Val was alone again. He counted the steps until she was out of range. With some effort he pushed beyond that, finding her again for a fleeting moment. The isolation of her passing was excruciating. For a brief moment he had shared some small understanding with her. As he laid down to sleep, for the first time in nearly a year he did not dream of the monster bathed in red. Mercifully, he did not dream at all.

It was not a simple power to master. That was immediately clear to them both upon their first attempt. Val had managed to absorb a small amount of electricity, but that small victory had only encouraged Korta to devote more of his power to overwhelming Val’s pitiful attempt. Chiko had not managed to absorb or redirect the lightning at all. Val had watched as she faltered beneath the strain of the moment, the waves of raw power unleashed upon her in a storm of sparks and smoke.  
It was an ancient technique, one rarely studied and mastered only by a select few. It was desperation that lent him the perseverance to attempt it again and again. There were some successes, all quickly overshadowed by the overpowering strength of his adversary. At night he would lay in his bed, stinging and smoking from his failure. His world reeked of metal and smoke. Then he would rise and train, tempting his master’s fury to draw out the inevitable punishment.  
He collapsed under Korta’s barrage again. His body convulsing with pain and involuntary spasms brought about by the current running through him. He screamed, but no air escaped his lungs. His ears rang and his body burned, but it was not lasting damage, merely pain inflicted with purpose. Chiko sat a few meters away, her face bright with rage.  
Val shook his head, discouraging her from the violence evident on her face. It would not serve their purpose, this was not the day. The bleak reality of their situation settled into his mind’s eye. Imagining another day like this was horrible enough, but to continue on indefinitely was worse still. How long had they been secluded? Days stretched like months in this living nightmare, without definition or purpose. He’d lost count twenty days in, by his own reckoning. Did it even matter at all?  
Chiko ignored him, rushing forward in a vain attempt to draw his ire. Val felt a pang of regret, but it passed quickly. She wasn’t doing it for him, Korta had merely presented a momentary opening. A false one, as both Chiko and Val discovered. Korta threw her back with a torrent of crackling blue energy that left her writhing on the floor. Val could hardly move, but her screams urged him to his feet. He gathered all he had left, every strand he could pull collected into a single moment of clarity. He took a breath and threw himself into the energy’s path, hands outstretched, child-like reflex warding away the pain ahead of him.  
For a moment, the energy crackled around him, but did not touch his body. Chiko’s screams of pain faded, replaced by a wail of rage. She had just enough time to turn and see Val before his shield failed. He collapsed beside her, agony replacing the hope he had all too briefly felt. When Korta had finished, he stalked closer to the pair of smoking, ruined apprentices. “We shall resume in the morning, first training session.” he said with menace dripping from his words.  
Val rolled onto his stomach, his abdominal muscles pulsed with residual energy. It felt as if his entire body was cramping, the reek of smoke and singed flesh hanging heavy in the air. He looked to Chiko, but she was not conscious. In a momentary panic he reached out, both physically and through the force. She was alive, he found, with great relief. He laughed to himself, then his last thought settled into his mind. Relief.  
It was not easy to carry her back to her quarters. She was not petite by any means, athletic and tall, though just short of his own height. He found himself relying on the force for strength, something he would pay for the next day. He laid her hand against the control panel, the door sliding open. As he placed her in her bed, he checked to ensure she was not harmed a final time. Finding nothing that could not be healed with rest, he turned and quickly exited the room. He hesitated by the door, looking back at her for a moment. She was dreaming of something pleasant, he felt. He keyed the door shut and returned to his own quarters, hoping his sleep would be so restful.

He was not in control. That was the first thing he recognized when his eyes opened. The room was dark and cold, the air damp and smelling of decay. Panic rose in his chest as he searched his surroundings, finding only a small rough-spun blanket that seemed more ancient than the tomb he’d awoken in. Darkness crawled at the corners of his vision, the only light flickering dimly from above. The single candle hung swaying from a brazier attached by a thick rusted chain. He clawed toward it, craving its warmth.  
“It seeks comfort.” came the first whisper, crawling from the shadows. “Comfort is a lie.” the second whisperer chided, its voice neither male nor female, as if the walls themselves spoke. He was not hindered, his stomach dragging across the cold floor as he fought for the warmth. An invisible hand grasped at him, pulling him back and away from the light. Desperation bit at him, but his throat would not give his thoughts voice. He was thirsty, starving and ached from a thousand cuts. His neck still burned from the last, though the itching was worse.  
“It will thank us someday.” the third whisperer mused, stepping into the light. It’s eyes glowed red, pupil-less orbs in the darkness. It’s dark blue skin brightened in the candle-light, an unnatural sheen lending the whisperer a frightening other-ness. The whisperer reached the for the candle, pulling it from the brazier before walking slowly toward him. His heart raced at the horrors soon to be inflicted, the fresh pain that awaited at the hands of his tormentor.  
The whisperer placed the candle on the tile before him, leaning in close, searching his face. It regarded him with dispassionate silence, it’s face unreadable. It spoke, but its lips didn’t move, ‘You have great strength, little one.” it said, its face curling into a smile. His fear faded as he stared up into those red eyes. “We shall make you into something beautiful.” its voice echoed through his mind. It looked down to the candle, then back to him. “Beauty requires sacrifice.” it said, its thin lips turning downward as its hand extinguished the light. Val screamed, but it was not his voice, not his dream. 'Chiko.' He thought, reaching out to her across the ship.  
She did not respond, though she had noticed his presence. He rose from his bed, dressing quickly before stepping into the hall. He froze outside of his door, reconsidering his actions. Why had he been so quick to go to her? 'You don’t know her.' He thought, his heart still racing from the terror she’d unwittingly shared with him. He took a few more steps toward her but turned back, full of doubt. Something called him to action, but it was frustratingly vague on exactly what that should be.  
He reached out again, finding her immediately. She was asleep again, her thoughts flowing to him easily. He stumbled as the nightmares returned, striking him in sympathetic waves of waking panic. He fought for control, but could not regain it. Reluctantly he withdrew, leaning against the corridor wall as he centered himself. Tears stained his cheeks, not his own feelings, but what remained of hers. Images flashed through his mind, terrible and cruel remnants of Chiko Suvan.  
He sat against the wall, his mind slow to regain its composure and balance. He wiped the tears away, unable to fully extricate those images, those memories from his thoughts. A momentary hatred filled his heart, she had inflicted it upon him. That faded quickly, his conscious self knowing that she’d not intended to share that with anyone. 'Especially me.' He knew, regret and shame coloring him. He lay there, unable to forget and unwilling to face her, until he drifted into a restless, fitful sleep against the corridor wall.


	7. 7

They met outside of the training room a few minutes before the appointed start of the session. Val arrived a few moments before her, hoping to discuss the night before. He had many questions and more importantly, an insatiable urge to apologize for the unintended intrusion. Chiko had stopped at the corner upon seeing him, an ambivalent expression tightly fixed to her features. Val could feel her frustration and pain, his gift lending him a vision he did not completely control. He decided to speak first, “I-” he hesitated, the words falling from his mind as a fresh wave of raw emotion rolled off of Chiko. Embarrassment . He recognized, Shame.  
Her face tightened with impatience. “Forget it.” she said, moving toward him. “I can’t.” He said, causing her to stop a step from the door. “We have bigger problems Val.” She said bluntly, taking on a warning tone. He relented, knowing that it wasn’t the time. “After?” He asked simply.  
She considered it for a moment, then turned back toward the doorway, taking a deep breath before entering. Val followed a moment later, trying to focus on the approaching challenge awaiting them. Korta stood at the far end of the mat, his eyes following them as they approached.  
Chiko bowed respectfully before taking her place at the center of the mat. Val followed suit, stepping to her right hand side and bowing respectfully to his master. Korta considered them carefully for a moment, then took a single step forward.”Let us begin.” He said. Val wondered what the lesson would entail today, the day before had been-  
He felt Korta draw on the power surrounding them the instant before the energy shot from his hands. Val reacted instinctively, putting himself between Chiko and the crackling energy. The first wave passed over them, leaving them entirely untouched. Val could feel Chiko’s annoyance from behind him, but he believed his grasp of this power was better. Her anger dissipated some when the second wave hit them.  
Val felt his control begin to slip, the torrent of electricity was all around them as he fought to divert it. In a single horrible moment, a single lance of light leapt forward and struck him, sending a searing pain through his chest. He faltered but did not break, though not without consequence. In his lapse of concentration he absorbed a truncated deluge of shocking sparks that burned across his arms and chest. As the barrage lifted he collapsed, the pain finally reaching him.  
He kneeled, his lungs shaking with the aftershocks, his breathing ragged. Chiko knelt down beside him, “Are you okay?” She asked calmly, keeping her eyes on Korta, who was still regaining his strength. Val nodded, not quite able to speak, his teeth still chattering from the convulsions in the wake of the previous assault. He caught his breath as Korta prepared to resume his attack. Something fell into place in Val’s mind. He looked to Chiko, her own thoughts arriving at the same point in tandem with his own.  
He nodded to her, standing and placing a hand on her shoulder for balance. He opened his mind, reaching out to grasp at her own. The connection was immediate and overwhelming. He was back in the darkness, then he was running through the streets of Taris, then he stood facing down a fair-haired boy, a blue lightsaber held tightly in his hand. Rage and pain, confusion and desperation threatened to drown him as her feelings washed through him.  
He understood, in part, who Chiko Suvan was and as he looked into her eyes he saw something that hadn’t been there before, sadness and regret. The next wave was the most powerful they had yet faced, a storm that danced around them like the heart of a super-cell. Val was the first to fall, a lapse in his strength exploited by a smaller part of the whole. Chiko howled with rage as she fought to hold back the inevitable.  
Val rose from the floor, lending her what strength remained in him. It wasn’t enough, not nearly, but it sustained her long enough for their opportunity to arrive. Korta was absorbed in his attack, his entire being focused on the power that surged through him. He didn’t perceive the sudden movement from behind him. It was only when the cold metal of the training sword’s blade touched his neck that he realized he had been beaten. The old Knight smiled and the storm ended as suddenly as it had began.  
Chiko collapsed to her knees, spent. Val lingered a few seconds longer before joining her. Their victory, if that was what one could call it, had cost them every remaining iota of their strength. It had also inflicted an emotional toll on them that began to come due almost immediately. There was no hiding what had been shared between them now. It should have filled them with relief, but the sudden influx of feeling had the inverse effect.  
He saw her and she saw him for the first time. This was the worst thing Korta could have inflicted upon them. That, as Val realized upon seeing his Master’s face, had been exactly as the old man had planned. Chiko stood first stumbling toward Korta, ignoring the pain that Val shared with her. Val winced as she fell short of the Knight by only a few paces.  
She crawled a few more before collapsing unconscious at his feet. Korta looked at Val, smiling for the first time since they’d left Taris. “I think that’s enough for the day.” He said, his voice too jovial for Val to contain himself. The training sword flew from the ground, striking Korta in the head. The old man recoiled, stumbling a step before looking incredulously at Val. The last thing Val remembered as he faded into unconsciousness was the boisterous laughter of Korta as the old Knight held a hand to his bleeding head.  
Val awoke two days later, as recounted to him by the Imperial officer assigned to him. Ensign Duor Kavos was a Raethi native. The tall and slim Echani was the picture of a young Imperial officer. His fair hair and angular features were striking, but he lacked the stereotypical haughtiness that most in the empire assumed of such young nobles. This was evident in the first interaction they shared upon Val awakening from his coma-like repose.  
“Finally!” The ensign had said as Val had stepped out of his room, intending to speak with Chiko. He’d nearly involuntarily thrown Kavos across the corridor from the fright. “Oh-“ he’d said, stepping back and saluting quickly, “I’m sorry sir, I thought you’d have sensed my-" he struggled for a moment, “never mind, Ensign Kavos, adjutant at your service sir.” He said enthusiastically. Val’s heart had returned to its normal rhythm by then, returning the man’s salute. “Val’s good enough for me ensign, at least when none of your superiors are around.” He’d explained, knowing that the honorific would be enforced in their presence.  
Kavos gave a thankful nod and a bright smile, “I understand. Thank you, Val.” Val couldn’t help but to return the smile, the man’s energy was infectious, bright and full of determination. “So you’re my adjutant?” Val asked, not entirely sure what that position entailed. “Yes, I had hoped to snag one of the older Knights but they all declined.” He said, not hiding his disappointment. Val fixed him with an annoyed look, “So then I could decline as well?” He asked.  
“Oh you most certainly could.” Kavos replied with a sincere smile. “However, I think that decision would be detrimental for many reasons.” He stated gesturing in the direction of the training room. “I can regale you with those if you’d like, or in writing if you’d prefer, you see there’s a lot of paperwork that comes with the-“ Val held up a hand, “Stop, you have me, I accept.” He said with a knowing smile, “Not that I’m averse to writing, I just don’t want to do it if you’re offering.”  
Kavos smiled at that, “Korta said you were smart, I’m glad I asked you first, you’re compatriot seemed… temperamental.” Val nodded at that, his smile widening, “That’s an apt description, yes.” But Val knew that she had good reason to be. “I’m sure you’re aware, but she is waiting for you in there.” Kavos said, a bit of nervousness in his tone. “She seemed eager to discuss matters with you.” He said, his implication clear, Val was headed into a fight.  
Val nodded appreciatively, glad to finally have somebody to speak to. “I think you’ll want to be elsewhere, this has been a long time coming.” Val said, hoping his new friend understood. He did, or so it seemed, saluting briskly before turning and walking away, humming The Setting Suns, a tune Val knew all too well. It was an old song, an orchestral piece from long before the Darkness. He smiled as his mind recounted it. Kavos had picked up just before the climax of the piece, where the horns and strings came together to blare their final refrain.  
He opened the door, his eyes settling upon her as she finished her preparatory forms. She didn’t spare him a glance, knowing he was approaching since the moment he awoke. He waited for her to settle, stretching lightly in preparation. She was better than she’d ever been, he knew. Two days of hard rest had restored her to something approaching her full strength. 'I am the best I’ve ever been too.' He thought, hoping that would be good enough. He watched as she concluded her dance.  
She settled gracefully, the training sword falling to her side with measured slowness. He regretted arriving second, without time to prepare as she had. She looked at him for the first time, her gaze looking beyond the man standing before her. He looked right back at her, seeing the person that lay beneath. 'Now.' They both thought in unison. Leaping forward to meet each other, mirroring their strikes. The metallic ring of their blades was the only sound other than their labored breathing.  
Chiko struck the first blow, catching Val across the shoulder with a glancing slash. He jumped back striking as he evaded. Chiko advanced too quickly, the blade catching her across the wrist. She hesitated for only a moment before pursuing, leaping forward in a blur of motion. He caught her attack, but did not have the leverage to perform the disarming maneuver he’d intended. She rocked him with a stunning punch to the abdomen that knocked the wind from his lungs.  
He spun into her, slapping her on the lower back with the flat of his blade as her momentum carried her forward. She wheeled, screaming something incomprehensible, unleashing a flurry of blows as Val struggled to keep pace. An opening developed in his guard and she exploited it, grabbing his wrist with her free hand. Her knee shot up, targeting his shoulder, but he met it with his own. With a yell of effort he threw her and watched her turn mid-air into a spinning kick that caught him across the jaw. 'She held back.' He realized, the kick stunning, but not harming him. She landed and spun with her momentum, bringing her blade into a low guard as she landed.  
He didn’t give her time to settle, taking the offensive with a series of maneuvering slashes intended to draw her out of position. She met each one in perfect balance, but the final strike gave him the opening he sought. He committed to it, his eyes barely registering the satisfied smile spreading across her face. Her blade came up to block his own. It never arrived, as he tackled her to the ground. She attempted to reverse the grapple with some success, managing to gain control of his sword arm. He denied her the weapon, tossing it aside as he delivered a few stunning blows to her body.  
She rolled with the punches, delivering a few key strikes to his face. He grabbed her arms, which allowed her the chance to reverse the grapple. He stopped that, but his grip slipped and an elbow caught him across the cheek. Blood seeped from the cut that opened in its wake but Val did not feel pain, too caught up in the battle. He raised his hand to retaliate.  
Chiko looked up at him with tears welling in her eyes. It was not fear alone emanating from those blue depths. Val froze, uncertain what had changed. Certainty soon found him as she crawled away from him, coming to rest a few meters away. She wiped the tears from her eyes and sat back, looking away from him. They sat in miserable silence for a long time before she spoke for the first time.  
“I’m so sorry.” She said, her voice tired and distant. He didn’t wait to respond, his heart heavy with pain.  
“So am I.” he replied. The weight eased, but did not lift. Val knew that she felt much the same. There was shame there, a wild rush of conflicting emotion and contradicting philosophies. They sat in companionable silence for as long as they could bear. Chiko rose first moving toward the exit with red eyes. Val’s heart resolved, without his permission, to speak. He could not let her go. “Chiko I-” it stuck in his throat. Ben’s smile flashed in his mind’s eye and the anger returned momentarily. He looked to her with a scowl.  
She’s not a monster. Val thought as he looked at her. No more than I am. Val considered, knowing that had he been molded the same way as she he would probably have walked her path. The words came to him slowly. “Ben knew what he was doing.” his mouth uttered, some part of him screaming deep within the recesses of his mind. “It was… it was a fair fight.” he said, knowing his brother. “He would not have shown you mercy.” Val said, feeling as though he was besmirching his brother’s memory but knowing that it was true. Had Ben Kidann succeeded in defeating her, he would have killed her as revenge.  
The words lingered in the air as Val rose from the floor, approaching her. She stepped back suddenly, holding up a hand to stay him. He stopped, sensing her pain. She breathed deeply then let it out slowly, a few tears streaming from her eyes. “We should have been better.” she said, smiling sadly. Val nodded, letting his eyes fall to the floor, “We should have.” he affirmed. He looked back at her, the words rushing through him with scarcely a thought. “We can make this right.” he said.  
Chiko shook her head disbelievingly. “Maybe you can.” she said grimly, then took a step towards him. Val remained still, trying not to frighten her at such a vulnerable moment. “You can’t fix people Val, they have to do that themselves.” she said, taking his hand. She was cold, frighteningly so. He nodded, her words were correct. He placed his other hand on the top of the one he held, covering it. “Some people just need a new perspective.” he said with a slim smile. She looked into his eyes, searching for something. She smiled, seemingly satisfied in what she found, then shook her head dismissively. “Somehow I knew you’d think that.” she said, pulling her hand free of his grasp.  
She turned and walked away quickly. Val stood still until she reached the exit, hoping she might stay a while longer. As the door closed behind her he moved to gather up the discarded weapons, then placed them back in the racks. He moved to the center of the mat, crossing his legs as he sat. Emptying his mind, he imagined Taris and the garden. As he strayed far from the training room he thought that he could feel the heat of the Tarisian star on his face. He lingered there a while, dreaming of home and of those he had left behind. “Goodbye, Ben.” he said as the weight faded from his chest.


	8. 8

Raeth was an ocean of green and blue with pinpricks of gold and silver from high orbit. The gold-white light of the distant supergiant star bathed the planet in light, making it seem as a jewel in the void. It had been three months since leaving Taris, the Triumphant having completed a short tour of the mid rim before returning to the capital with its escort fleet. Val stood behind Korta on the bridge as the Knight spoke with the Triumphant’s Captain, Neza Derrosk. She was calmly explaining to the Knight that some of her Crewman had come down with sickness after the final stop on Kuat.  
Korta waved her concerns away, “They caught some jumper bug carousing on leave.” he said without the slightest regard. Val shared a knowing smile with Kavos, jumper bugs were a well known euphemism for a certain category of diseases contracted in questionable locales, with questionable partners. He looked reflexively to Chiko, but she was below, training with another of the Knights. Her absence was discomforting to Val, but after their previous encounter he knew she needed time. Resisting the urge to seek her out was difficult, but necessary. If they were going to make it through their apprenticeship, they would need to face certain things apart.  
He turned his attention back to the conversation. “-dless I am sending the affected crewmen down first under quarantine.” The Captain said, “I will not be known as the idiot that lost her ship because she didn’t take an unknown pathogen seriously.”  
Korta looked ready to burst with rage. “Damn it Neza I’ve got an appointment with a dear friend that I cannot-“ the Captain held up a hand. “Master Tibrenn-“ she interjected, addressing Korta, “-I will ensure that your shuttle departs at the earliest possible slot, but I must see to the ship’s crew before other considerations.” Her eyes narrowed at the man, “If you wish to overrule me, I will follow the order under duress.”  
The threat was implicit, if Korta invoked his authority and the sickness turned out to be something more dangerous than it seemed all blame would fall squarely on his shoulders, not her own. Korta turned to Val and smiled, “Always listen to a good officer my boy, even ones so insufferably deliberate as Captain Derrosk.” He said making a rude gesture as he did. Derrosk was unfazed, turning her attention back to the command displays.  
Korta took a few steps away from her toward the exit, “Come on boys, let’s not bother the Captain further.” He was already nearly out of the bridge by the time Val and Kavos caught up to him. Val was confused about something, “Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but why is the Captain only sending down a single shuttle at a time?” Val asked. Korta didn’t break stride as he responded. “All Navy ships are restricted in this way when attempting to enter Raeth.” He explained. “There have been attempts to seize power by certain ambitious officers in the past. This measure limits the possible subterfuge by restricting how many personnel can be unloaded in one lift.”  
Val understood, but did not like the implications suggested. “The Emperor is that wary of his own?” Val asked. Korta laughed, “The Emperor had no part in that particular measure.” He turned, giving Val a serious look, “The Imperial Knights implemented it in the best interest of the Imperial seat.” This was shocking to Val, Korta had just tacitly admitted that the Order of Knights could overrule the Imperial seat if they deemed it necessary.  
He didn’t respond, looking to Kavos for his take. His companion didn’t seem affected by the revelation and so Val wondered if he was the only person aboard who hadn’t grasped that fundamental truth before. The thought was not comforting and immediately changed how he viewed his chosen profession. They weren’t just peacekeepers, they were peacemakers and the difference therein was disturbing. Korta made directly for the officer’s mess, which was accessible to Knights and Nobles at all hours. Val had tried to avoid imposing himself upon the staff, as he knew that some of his peers were not as sensible.  
There were a few off-duty low and mid-grade officers milling about, as well as a solitary Knight that Val recognized immediately. Aslin Malo huddled into the corner of the corner booth farthest from the serving area, nursing a glass of some pungent concoction native to his world. A crown of horns sprouted from his golden scalp and a smile developed as Korta moved toward him. Malo, as Val had learned a few days after his seclusion ended, was one of the better sparring partners he and Chiko had faced. He was also a former student of Korta.  
“You’ll keel over any second now old man, I can sense it.” Malo said, closing his eyes and holding out a hand, taking on a mocking fortune-tellers warble. Korta moved past him, rolling his eyes, to the serving droid. “Well I’d better drink while I can then.” The older man said, typing his order into the datapad. The droid bobbed affirmatively, then it’s arms spun on its cylindrical torso and selected the necessary components. “Especially in such dreadful company.” He said, turning toward Malo.  
“You’re getting grouchy in your old age.” Malo said with a faux-injured slant. He looked toward Val, “Grouchy, yeah? That’s a good description?” He asked Val. Val nodded, not expecting to be included, “You’ve got him.” He replied.  
Malo chuckled then gestures toward the other seats. “I hear you have a few hours to wait.” Malo said, looking to Korta, a knowing smile spreading across his face. Korta shook his head, “No Malo, I’m too old and distinguished for the kind of day drinking you manage.” Korta said, some professional disdain in his voice. The rules for Knights were slightly looser than their Navy counterparts, but their actions drew more scrutiny of a different kind.  
“I manage pretty well, have a high tolerance but I’m not inviting you to drink old friend.” He said, giving Val a dismissive nod. Val looked to Korta, whom nodded affirmatively, “Go review the historical lesson I’ve prepared, Kavos should be able to help.” Val smiles at that, he’d already completed the task. “Yes Master.” He said, giving Kavos a “let’s get out of here” expression.  
Malo must not have known about Val’s gift. As he and Kavos left the mess headed toward the recreation sections below, Val listened closely for the fading voices of his Master and Malo. By the time he was unable to discern them from the background noise, Val had learned what he’d intended to discover. Zyllovan a world at the edge of the Empire was spiraling out of control and Malo wanted to know if the rumors he’d heard were true. “Is the Emperor considering an invasion?” Malo asked, some excitement at the prospect of conflict. Val didn’t hear Korta’s reply, the old man too cagey to allow him such an easy answer.  
Kavos noticed Val’s expression, “What is it?” He asked, concern apparent in his voice. Val wondered if sharing the information with him would get one or both of them in trouble. Something within told him that Kavos could be trusted. He looked at his friend seriously, “Have you ever been in a battle?” Val asked. Kavos was a year or two older than Val, if his career was on track.  
“Not directly, no.” Kavos answered frankly, “The Triumphant does not invite an attack.” He added with a smile. Val shared his mirth, that was most certainly true for an Empire at peace, but if there was war the Triumphant would be at the forefront. “Well I think that may change if I heard what Malo said correctly.” His implication overt without outright stating his observation. Kavos’ reaction surprised Val, his smile seemed to widen, “Truly? Well brilliant then, a good war will certainly advance our respective standings.” He said, seemingly imagining the victory parade.  
Val suppressed an urge to correct him, knowing it would not convince him of the truth. “Yes, it most certainly will.” Val said, his voice leaking with derision. Kavos gave him a curious look. Val shrugged, not knowing what to say at first. “Surely you agree it is the quickest way to advance.” Kavos said, Val sensing his deepest desire. Kavos had great ambition and talent, but had yet to face the true cost that such would demand. He was not malevolent or selfish in his desire, simply pragmatic and Val could understand that longing, though he did not share his friend’s zeal.  
“I will do as the Emperor commands, as is my duty.” Val said, giving a variation of a statement he’d seen his father use to great effect. Kavos rolled his eyes as he laughed, “A politician’s son.” He said. Val shrugged, “You asked a political question.” Kavos nodded, “Yes I suppose I did.” He looked away from Val, his mind pondering something Val did not pick up. “So… where will this war occur?” Kavos asked, his expression turning serious again.  
“Zyllovan, I think he said.” Val had never heard of the planet, assuming it to be a backwater. Kavos’ expression told him immediately that this was not the case. “The resort world?” He asked incredulously, “My family visited a few times when I was very young.” He said, confusion apparent on his face. “What in the galaxy would we invade a planet like Zyllovan for? There’s nothing there but beautiful views and clear water.” Kavos said, his voice distant, contemplating the strange circumstances.  
“Maybe I misheard them.” Val added, his own mind turning. “Or maybe it’s a political problem of some kind.” He continued, making an educated guess. They were at the turbolift now. Kavos stopped a few steps short, “I’m going to consult the ship archives, do you mind if I use your credentials?” Kavos asked bluntly. Val smirked, “Are you allowed to-?” Kavos cut him off with a wave of the hand, “You’re right, better that you know nothing about it.” Kavos confident smile gave Val an uneasy feeling. The ensign turned and strode away, headed for his stated destination.  
Val had planned to stop by the rec-deck but felt that doing so alone would be pretty silly. He keyed the turbolift to return to his quarters. A few moments later the lift arrived headed but was headed toward the hangar section. Val realized he’d keyed in the wrong number as the door opened. He was about to apologize when he came face to face with Chiko, his words catching in his throat. “Sor- oh it’s you.” He said with some surprise. She gave him a puzzled look, then smiled. “Are you bored?” She asked, knowing he was.  
“That really depends on your next question.” He replied, getting a disturbing but jovial vibe from his fellow apprentice. “Kavos told me that we won’t be heading planet side for at least four hours.” She said, waving him aboard. He did so, standing next to her and facing the doorway as the lift began to move. “I can’t stay on this blasted ship a moment longer.” She said with notable mania. He felt very much the same, it had been far too long since he’d stood on solid ground.  
“So what’s the plan?” He asked with a playful smile, “Hijack a shuttle and blast our way to the surface?” He added in a mocking tone. She returned his tone as she responded, “That’s a great plan actually.” She began, exaggerating a contemplative look by putting her thumb and index finger to her chin. She dropped the act, “No, I wanted to get some flight time in.” She said with an almost giddy tone. Val squinted, disbelieving, “Flight time? In what?” He asked. She tilted her head as if he were simple, “A Z-80 of course.” She said, referring to the Imperial Standard Superiority StarFighter.  
“I’ve never flown outside of a simulator.” He stated with some dread. Val had not taken to flying during his short stint behind the controls of a simulated fighter craft, in fact the thought of getting behind the controls of the real thing made him slightly sick.  
Chiko looked at him with a perplexed squint, then smirked. “Here I was thinking you weren’t afraid of anything anymore.” She said with the haughty air that had been absent during their isolation. She was infuriating in this state. Val grimaced, “Not afraid, just not entirely prepared, I hadn’t intended to-“ she interrupted him with a yawn. “Gods you are boring.” She said. He couldn’t help but to laugh, “Can’t you be nice to me for just a minute?” He said jokingly. “I mean, here I am with a juicy secret and you won’t let me-“  
“Secret?” She asked. His smile widened, he had found the magic word. Given their previous involuntary exchange of information, secrets between them were currently in short supply. “What secret?” She pressed, Val could feel her pushing at the edges of his mind. He pushed back and she relented on that front. “Well you’ve got to be nice to me first.” He said with an accusing look.  
“Not a chance Val.” She said, looking back toward the door. It opened a moment later, revealing a crowded hallway alive with activity. Chiko rushed forward and to his own surprise Val found himself following her. What was he doing? He most definitely did not want to do as she suggested, but he also very much did. Unable to reconcile his two minds it seemed that his body had chosen the latter.  
It was a short walk to fighter control. The deck officer was an older man, a Major, his uniform covered in decorations from earlier in his career. From what Val saw, the former pilot had been quite something in those days. Chiko approached the officer who spared the two a dubious glance. “I’d like to get some flight time in.” Chiko stated, more a declaration than a request. The deck officer smiled as he turned from the control panel.  
His face bore a burn scar from right cheek bone to his jaw on the same side, attesting to the accolades Val had supposed of the man earlier. The Imperial Navy was quite good at handling such injuries, so any wound that left a scar like that would have been from a very high energy source. Val guessed that the man had been grazed by a blaster bolt that had penetrated his craft or something similar. He took special care to pay attention to the man as he spoke.  
“I assume you’re the old man’s students.” The deck officer said dismissively. “He told me to make my craft available to you.” He narrowed his eyes at Chiko, “But if you try anything stupid with my ships I’ll overrule him.” The officer said seriously. “Now I need you to fill out these requisition forms.” He said, grabbing two data pads from a rack to his right. “Just put your credentials in there, reason as ‘Training’.” Chiko snatched the first datapad, setting to it with a roll of her eyes. Val suppressed an urge to laugh as she grew more frustrated with the bureaucratic mire that was the Imperial Navy.  
“I’ll deploy a flight of bots for you to punch on.” The officer said, returning to his control panel. “Keep your weapons on low yield, I want to keep as many of them intact as possible.” He added, giving Chiko a disparaging look. A moment later Val watched as two Z-80I superiority starfighters were lowered from storage bays by grav-lift. The angular starfighter was a Kuat creation, functional and sleek, in its “I” or Interceptor configuration it sported a pair of homing torpedo pods.  
The officer beckoned for them to follow, moving out of the shielded deck command post and pointing out the craft. “This is what I’ve got free at the moment, no astromechs available, so don’t break anything or we’ll have to come get you.” He pulled up a datapad, “When you’re finished up you can land in any bay, just tell them Major Fel will take care of it.” He said with a smile. “Good hunting kids.” He said before turning to walk away. A couple of support staff and maintenance droids moved in to do final checks on the craft. A pair of crewmen arrived and handed both Val and Chiko a flightsuit and helmet. The suits fit over their uniform and within moments both were squared away for flight.  
Val’s heart hammered incessantly as he climbed into his fighter and began running through final prep. Chiko was finished moments after descending into the seat, but Val took longer. She waited for him, to his surprise, though didn’t make it easy on him. “Let’s go already!” She said through their flightcomm, which was mercifully separate from the general comms being monitored by starfighter command. Val cursed himself for not putting his foot down, the sudden confrontation of his fears causing him to hyperventilate.  
“I- I’m set.” He said, sounding as calm as he could manage. Chiko laughed over the film, “Sure you are.” She said, raising from the deck. “Follow me, we’ll do a few laps of the ship to warm up.” She commanded. Great. Val thought, Rookie pilot crashes into carrier ship on first flight. His mind said, imagining the worst possibility. Chiko seemed to pick up on that, “You’ll be fine Val.” She said in a calm tone. “We’ll keep it slow until you get attuned to it.” She added reassuringly, then turned to move out of the bay. Val grabbed the stick and throttled up, his craft slowly raising to follow her own.  
She passed through the life support shielding, then accelerated in a right hand turn toward the front point of the Triumphant. Val pursued at his own pace, the nauseous feeling he’d experienced in the simulator now back and striking him in full force. He tried to slow his breathing, letting instincts guide him. As he exited the ship, pushing through the shield he turned his ship to chase Chiko. She was well ahead now, but moving slowly as she’d promised. Val accelerated to catch up to her, falling into form behind her somewhat shakily. “I really hate you right now.” he said, not meaning it literally.  
“It’s a good skill to have, even if you don’t like it.” She said seriously. Val knew that was true, but the nausea didn’t cease just because his mind knew it was important. “Just relax and let your eyes and instincts guide you, if you fly with your mind you’ll get overwhelmed.” She said, beginning to slowly accelerate as they approached the forefront of the ship. Val moved to follow, focusing on her ship and the Triumphant, it helped some. “Okay… okay I think I’m getting it.” he said, the nausea beginning to fade. They made a sharp right at the front, heading toward the rear of the ship.  
“Incoming!” Chiko said suddenly, “He’s sending the bots at us.” she added, turning away from the Triumphant abruptly. Val followed, checking his instruments for the incoming craft’s vector. They were approaching from ahead and above. Val looked to the indicated direction, seeing the small mock-fighters approaching quickly. “We’re going to split them, you go left I’ll go right, make them chase our tails.” She ordered. Val prepared himself for the maneuvers, “Got it.” he said, perceiving her plan.  
She broke right suddenly, Val going hard left immediately after. Bolts of energy zipped past his cockpit as the enemy began their attack run. He continued turning, searching for Chiko and her pursuing craft. She found him first, soaring past him with her blasters blazing. “Got one.” she said as an enemy blinked off of Val’s instruments. He took a few shots at one of the three craft pursuing her, but didn’t score a hit. “You’ve got three on you.” Val said as calmly as he could. “Two on you.” she replied.  
Val broke for the Triumphant, “I’m going to bring them up over the deck, when I-” she interrupted him, sensing his intent. “Got it.” she said calmly. He punched forward at max speed, flying beneath the Triumphant. His craft was much faster than the training craft and they lagged behind. As he reached the other end of the ship, he pulled upward. A moment later his opponents followed, only to be met by Chiko, who scored hits on both of them, but only “destroyed” one. Val turned to take her pursuers head-on, scoring a “killing” hit on one. “I got one!” he said with a laugh.  
“Great! Now hurry up and get the rest!” she said, taking on evasive rolls and jukes as the enemy sprayed fire at her. Val came around, accelerating toward the dogfight occurring. He could feel it now, the flux of instinct and the force. He surrendered to it, allowing himself to be a semi-observer to his own actions. The attack vector was perfect, coming in from a high angle with clear shots on both craft. He squeezed the trigger, spewing bolts of energy into both craft and watching them spiral off, “destroyed”. He executed a decelerating loop, falling into form next to Chiko, “All down.” he said with a gleeful laugh. He looked to her cockpit, she looked back, giving him a thumbs-up. “Good work.” she said. “Want to go again?” Val smiled widely, “Let’s go.” he responded, the sickness and hesitation supplanted by the sheer thrill and freedom of flight.


	9. 9

“We welcome our new brother and sister!” Korta said from the raised speaking platform at the head of the audience chamber. The high ceiling and marble floors projected his voice across the entire assembly. The grand hall was at half capacity, the majority of those in attendance being older Knights and their pupils. This was the great bastion, directly affixed to the Imperial Palace on Raeth. This was the heart of the galaxy and he stood only meters away from its ruler.  
The Emperor, Ytane Fyr’Raellia, sat behind and above Korta on a sparse seat. It was more a stool than a throne, but he did not seem uncomfortable upon it. He beamed, his weathered, bearded face creased with long lines. The popular image of the man was from long before it seemed. It was surprisingly informal, all things considered. The Imperial Guard stood unarmored by his side. Then Val had noticed that the Emperor carried a lightsaber of his own. Val hadn’t known that the Emperor had once been a knight. The depths of what Val did not know about the man that ruled over his and so many trillions’ fate was momentarily discomforting.  
“Chiko, Val, step forward please.” Korta said, turning to the Emperor and speaking something Val did not hear. Chiko shouldered her way through the crowd, stopping and kneeling respectfully at the foot of the stairs leading up to the platform. Val walked to her right hand and kneeled beside her. He shared a nervous look with her, one that she returned. That made him smile and as it happened, her as well. Footsteps drew their attention to the sight of the ancient man descending, Korta beside him.  
“I once knelt where you do.” The Emperor said, his voice surprisingly powerful. “It was the most terrifying moment of my life.” he added as he came to the end of the stairs, stopping on the final step. He was hunched from age, but his eyes were wide and his mind seemingly intact. “Facing an enemy, however terrible, is easier than facing your own vision of yourself.” he said with a wise smile. He leaned down so that they could truly hear him, “Our greatest adversary is the person we fear ourselves to be.” he said, looking at each of them. He turned to Korta, whom produced a small box which the Emperor took.  
“Chiko Suvan, rise.” Ytane commanded. She did so slowly a serious look on her face. Val watched her as the Emperor held out the box, removing the lid. Inside was a crystal that glimmered with golden light. The emperor took her hand and placed the crystal in her palm. “Usually such things are provided by family.” The Emperor stated sadly, leaning closer to say something only she could hear. Chiko’s face changed, the seriousness was replaced by a gracious smile, her eyes welling with tears. “Thank you.” she said, her voice breaking. She stepped back, cradling the item as the Knights in attendance began to cheer.  
When the cheers faded, the emperor stood before Val. “Rise, Val Kidann.” he said. Val did so with shaking legs and sweat rolling down his back. The Emperor turned to Korta, “Grandmaster, the honor is yours.” he said with a smile, taking a single step back. Val’s heart skipped as a thousand small pieces fell into place. Val filled the space where the Emperor had stood, holding out a familiar item. It was his lightsaber, repaired and reconstituted by Korta. “Take your weapon son.” he said with a smile of pride. As Val grabbed it, Korta closed both hands around his own. “It is yours, Val.” he said, the implication clear to Val. “Yes master.” he replied, stepping away to join Chiko.  
The emperor drew his own saber, holding it high, before igniting the weapon. He slowly lowered it, indicating for them to bow. They did as directed and then the Emperor spoke. “Go forth with my blessing, with my resolve and with bravery, defend your Empire and its people.” He lowered his voice, “Be true and noble in the face of darkness, that is all that can be asked of you.” he said, then lowered the blade above both of their heads. “Stand.” he commanded, as they did he rose his own saber high, “For the Empire!” he yelled, his voice booming off of the walls. A thousand lightsabers roared to life behind Val, who turned to see every knight holding their own blades. Val turned to Chiko, tears in both of their eyes, he took her hand and together they raised his own blade high. “For the Empire!” the assembly chanted as Val and Chiko were greeted by their new brothers and sisters.

He found himself outside when he awoke, his head ringing. He felt terrible, as if someone had beaten him over the head. The memories flooded back to him. The taste of aged synthol cloying to him. “Oh ghosts…” he managed, his stomach churning. He clawed his way to his feet, using a vine from a nearby tree to steady himself. His dizziness slowly faded as his body began to awaken. The sky was slowly brightening above as a few scattered craft tracked their paths above the city surrounding the palace. In the far distance, the rising star, Rae, broke just above the horizon. Val moved toward the railing, leaving the garden behind him.  
As he stepped through the doorway out onto the balcony overlooking the city, he turned to see Chiko. She was sitting on the long padded bench that was the sole furniture in the space. She didn’t notice him at first, her eyes scanning the horizon, a smile on her face. He thought to leave, not wanting to break her moment of tranquility. He turned to do so, trying to remain quiet. “Val?” she asked from behind him. He turned back, leaning against the doorway, “Heeeeey.” the word elongated unintentionally, his conscious mind screaming at him. She leaned in to look at him closer, then laughed.  
“How much do you remember?” she asked, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. Val remembered everything up until a Tagruutan girl had poured a small glass and handed it to him. He hadn’t fully heard what she’d called it, but remembered the burn as it sank and settled. Another memory struck him suddenly, Chiko’s laughing face as she’d pulled him through the halls away from the welcoming party, then the blissful peace of unconsciousness. “Everything up until the Tagruuta”, he said with some embarrassment.  
“Well that’s pretty much everything.” She said, the last of her laughter forming a tired smile. “I dragged you out of there just after that, you were making a fool of yourself.” she added. Val nodded, “Yeeeaaah.” he managed, leaning against the balcony. The synthol was still burning out of his system. Chiko pulled him back toward the bench with one hand, “Let’s stay away from the railing, okay?” She said with some concern. “Good idea.” Val said with a chuckle. The head pain was growing fainter now as he allowed himself to slump into the bench. He stared out over the city as the light grew across the distant horizon.  
“It’s very beautiful.” Chiko said. Val turned to see her laying back next to him. “But it’s not home.” She added with a sigh. Val agreed, even with all of its similarities and carefully cultivated beauty, Raeth was not home. “It’s better in some ways.” He said with a sad smile. Chiko looked at him doubtfully. “Those being?” she asked. He met her gaze, searching for the right words. “I’m just saying, I’m glad it’s not the same.” he said, exasperated. “Things are more complicated on Taris.” he looked at her seriously, “Can you imagine what our families would think if they saw us now?” he asked.  
Chiko looked back toward the horizon, but didn’t respond right away. He cursed himself, it had been the wrong thing to bring up at this moment. They sat in silence for a moment before she broke it. “You saw what it was like.” she said plainly. Val had done more than see it, he’d lived it through her memories. “Yeah, I saw.” he replied, unable to look at her. “I knew what you’d went through before the visions we shared, but it seemed so distant written on a page.” She looked at him, he looked back at her, “I didn’t feel like this before.” She said angrily. “They trained that out of me, it was a mercy.” She dug her fingers into the padding of the seat. “After what we shared fighting Korta I can’t stop seeing your brother’s damned face.” she said, her voice somewhere between a growl and a sob.  
Val watched as she fought a battle within, her eyes growing momentarily wild. He didn’t know what to say at first, nor if he should say anything at all. Then the words came to him, simple and with conviction. “I hated you.” Val said calmly, almost detached, as if that sensation were as distant as the void between stars. She looked at him, calming somewhat, then nodded, “Yeah, I hated you as well.” she responded. “Everything about you, actually.” she added with a mirthless grin, “Your family didn’t deserve to rule, my father’s words.” Val smiled, “A rabid pack of mongrels unwilling to accept reality.” he shook his head, “My father is a bit better with his insults I think.”  
She nodded, “Yes, the house of Kidann is always prepared to insult their lessers.” she agreed mockingly. “The Adrass make it too easy for us, what with the incompetent plotting and heavy-handed politicking, your father has no class.” he said laughing. Chiko nodded affirmatively, “That we agree on.” Val looked at her again, finding that she meant it. It shouldn’t have been surprising, knowing what he did now. “Nobody chooses their parents Chiko.” Val said reassuringly. Chiko stared back at him, “You can’t escape the truth of it Val, I’ve got more than a little bit of him in me.” She said sadly, “Just as your father is with you.”  
Val smirked and averted his gaze at that, “I’m not like my father at all.” he said, then looked to her, “And you’re far more pretty than old Grom.” he added. Val had meant it as a joke, a small amount of levity, but he’d meant it as well. They both looked away for a moment as a silence grew between them. “I’m sorry.” He said with a nervous chuckle, “I’m still pretty drunk I think.” he lied. Chiko turned back to him, a small smile touching the corners of her mouth. “Well it was a compliment I think.” She said, “That’s a step forward for us.” Val raised his gaze to meet hers. “A big step.” he added with a smile.  
It was a slow thing, an incremental synchronized movement that began with a shared thought. The star grew brighter, larger as it crawled across the far horizon. The flying craft grew in number as the day slowly banished the night. It was cold but growing warmer as the distant star began to warm the air. Val reached out to take her hand only for her own to meet his. There was a flash of sudden memory as they again shared the link they had forged. As they sat and watched the sunrise, they recounted their memories, both horrible and beautiful.  
Through his eyes she saw Ben for who he truly was. A passionate and brash boy yes, but caring and deeply protective of those he loved. She faced the pain and loss that Val had faced, first his mother and then Ben. She saw Zeya, Tae, Miri and Sharr, the people that her actions had harmed. Val saw a lonely, tortured girl where once had been a monster. Through her eyes he experienced the tribulations imposed upon her by an ambitious and bitter man.  
They shared all of this with the other. Every flaw and fear, every hope and prayer, all that they dreamed of revealed to the mind of another. It was painful but it was also the end of their pain. As they withdrew from the vision they took grim solace in their companionship. They shared something few in the galaxy truly knew, something precious beyond compare. They understood one another, implicitly and totally. Every desire was laid bare.  
It was a slow thing, but when the realization finally arrived, it was shared between them. They opened their eyes together, a single thought bringing them suddenly back to reality. The day was nearly upon them and with it every rigor that accompanied their new stature. A singular thought flashed between them. Their lips met as they embraced, their hearts matching pace and rhythm. They held there for a long time, as they allowed themselves a long moment of peace. Together they lingered there until day broke above them.  
It was nearly evening when Korta summoned them back to the palace. They’d spent much of the day touring Imperial City’s most famous sites. It was a pity to have to return to their duties so soon. Had they known the reason for their summoning they might have ignored them until agents were dispatched to bring them in.  
Val knew immediately upon seeing Korta’s grim visage that something had gone wrong. The Grandmaster was standing beside a holo display, a map of the Zyllovan sector glowing blue-white in scale. Many other Knights stood in attendance, including Malo, who wore a grim smile. They moved to their master’s side and waited as the remaining invitees filed in. Val shared a nervous look with Chiko before leaning in, “I’d forgotten, this was the secret I’d mentioned.” He said regretfully, “I got so caught up in everything…” he added apologetically before Chiko silenced him with a low wave of her hand. “Don’t worry, I’d have learned about it at some point.” She said with a smile.  
Val pulled back as the door closed and locked behind the final invitee. Korta waited for the room to settle before speaking. “It is war.” he said calmly, pointing to the map, “Zyllovan has sent a list of demands by the hand of their newly elected ‘Supreme Guardian’.” He paused for a moment as the news propagated throughout the room, sharing a quick look and reassuring nod toward Val and Chiko. He turned back to the assembled knights, clearing his throat before continuing. “Were the demands sent by the hand of the appointed governor the Imperial seat may have considered the proposed measures.” Korta stated calmly, “The ‘Supreme Guardian’ chose a more dramatic route.” Korta said, tapping a button on the display.  
A small ship appeared moving slowly away from the planet. A moment later three new ships appeared, dropping from hyperspace around the craft that Val now recognized as an Imperial Corvette. “The governor was ambushed while fleeing the planet with his family.” Korta explained as the recording played. The batteries of the three ambushing warships engaged in tandem, reducing the smaller ship to burning scrap within seconds.  
The room went silent as quiet anger spread through all in attendance. The deaths of the Governor and his family stung, but it was the presumed deaths of the Knights guarding them that inspired the true rage burning through those assembled. Val was overwhelmed by the collective fury he sensed among those around them, even beginning to share the feeling as he was immersed in it. Korta turned off the projector and leaned against it, using it to steady himself. Val noted that his was the only energy that differed from those surrounding him. It was a cooler emotion, an emptiness or resignation that Val understood as grief.  
“When do we attack?” A female voice shouted from the back of the assembly. This broke Korta from his trance as the murmurs slowed and added ascent. The grandmaster stood tall again and began to circle the projector leisurely. “A proportional force will be dispatched within the week.” Korta replied calmly, fully silencing the murmurs surrounding him. “A full deployment cannot be ordered without the ascent of the Master’s council-“ Korta explained, cut off suddenly by Malo. “Or by the joint order of the Emperor and Grandmaster!” The devaronian gelled, his voice full of anger.  
The silence was deafening as Korta ceased his stride. “The council will convene two days from now to discuss the matter.” Korta said, his eyes affixed to Malo. “We shall decide the fate of Zyllovan when the full situation is understood.” The Grandmaster said, redressing his subordinate. Malo’s face twisted in revulsion as the ruling was given. “They have thrown down the challenge, Grandmaster, it would be shameful to respond with anything less than our full strength.” Malo said, many of the Knights around him giving ascent to his statement.  
“We cannot commit our full strength to a conflict that we do not yet understand.” Korta explained with some frustration, “We must investigate and assess before we act, lest we fall headlong into an unnecessary massacre.” Korta said, dismissing Malo’s claim. Malo made to speak again, but Korta silenced him with a wave of the hand. “This is not a debate Knight Malo.” The Grandmaster turned and addressed the entire room, “I will depart tomorrow for Kuat to take command of the 3rd fleet. I have already dispatched orders to those of you who will accompany me.” Korta turned back to Malo, “For those of you whom have not been selected, know that it is not a matter of skill or respect, merely pragmatism.” He keyed a button below the projector and the doors opened again. “This meeting is adjourned.” Korta said, looking to Val and Chiko, “Come on children, we must get you equipped for what comes next.” He said grimly.


	10. 10

This is hell. He thought as he walked the length of the trench. The troops around him were pitiful, covered in mud and ash, some wounded and awaiting treatment. Overhead the ceaseless barrage of turbolaser fire cracked again and again. Any moment a lucky shot could fall in just the right position and wipe him away. He was a visitor to this world, the true cost paid by the poor wretches of the Imperial Army. These were not the Stormtroopers, nor the Imperial Marines and they were certainly not the Knights that commanded from far behind the lines. Each of them was an Imperial trooper, well trained and equipped professionals, but far from the elite forces that took prize position in the grand battle plans of the Empire.  
1He’d come to know these men and women, serving under Korta’s direction as their company commander. It was not an honor Val expected, not a burden he was entirely prepared for. Kavos walked beside him, he’d found his adjutant indispensable in the early phases of the conflict. Kavos knew how to speak to the troops in a way that Val had not at first. The sudden loss of their original commander nearly destroying their morale in the first battle of the war.  
The battle in orbit had been resolved in less than an hour. The small ramshackle fleet of third-rate cruisers assembled by the Zyllovian rebels had been divided and destroyed by the 3rd fleet led by the Triumphant. The burning remains of those ships still hung in orbit above, threatening to crash to the surface some time within the next few weeks.  
Val had watched that battle from the bridge, Chiko pacing relentlessly at his side. Korta had disallowed either of them from joining the battle in fighter craft. Kavos had watched as well, questioning Korta at appropriate times to determine the logic behind each move as they unfolded. Val was caught in the spectacle before him and in the sudden bursts of energy that heralded the ends of thousands of lives.  
Now, on the surface and under constant enemy fire, Val had found himself of two minds. He hated this battle and the suffering he and his troops were forced to endure. Yet there is nowhere I’d rather be. It was addictive in the most cruel sense. There was no greater thrill than the moments after a near impact, the terror and madness of those moments activated something in the mind so pure that it made all other thoughts seem dreamlike in comparison.  
“I do wish this rain would stop.” Kavos said as they entered the command bunker. It was a prefab structure deployed early in the battle, reinforced by a layer of soil and rock above it. A large, ghastly hole filled in with duracrete stood testament to the shot that had killed the company’s original commander and staff. There had not been much left of them.  
Val smirked grimly, “Which rain?” He asked. Kavos removed his helmet and retrieved a towel from a rack by the door. “Both.” He said with a grim chuckle. “But I find the liquid kind more damaging to morale.” He said, trying in vain to remove as much moisture as possible. Val tilted his head, raising an eyebrow at his friend. “Explain that one please.” He said disbelievingly.  
Kavos finished drying himself, tossing the towel away with frustration. “Simple. The troops can’t fight the rain.” He said. Val laughed at that, knowing it was true. Val shook his head as he moved to the comm. he picked up the control and keyed for the main headquarters. A familiar voice answered him.  
“3-1-3 send message.” Chiko said playfully. It had been too long since he’d heard her voice. He smiled widely as he struggled to remember his original intent. “I’m looking for Korta.” Val said matter-of-fact. “I’ve been observing the anti-air battery and I think I’ve got a way to silence them.” He added giving Kavos a nod. They’d developed the plan together, with helpful observations from a few of the senior members of their company.  
“You and a dozen other idiots Val.” She responded mockingly, then the line went quiet for a moment. “Chiko? You there?” Val asked, hoping the comms hadn’t been fried again. The repeated electrical discharge of enemy’s turbolaser barrage had already severed communications a few times before. “Knight Kidann.” Val stated a moment later, “Knight Suvan has insisted that I take a moment to listen to your and I’m quoting her here ‘Idiotic and foolhardy scheme’.” Korta continued mockingly. Val lowered his head and chuckled, giving Kavos a can you believe this look. Kavos looked rather annoyed, his hair and clothes still damp. “Hurry up so we can get the hell off this rock.” the Navy man said.  
“I’ll have it outlined by sundown if you’d like me to transmit then?” Val asked, certain that he could give a brief rundown on command but hoping Korta would give him the time to prepare something proper. “Very well Val, but I’d like for you to present it in person.” the Grandmaster replied, his voice reassuring. “The Imperial army officers would be better served to see the man responsible for the gambit, considering the mistakes that have been made thusfar.” Korta explained. Val nodded to himself, remembering the blunders perpetrated by the Naval officers and Knights responsible for the landing operations. The victory in orbit had been squandered by impatience and apathy.  
“I understand.” Val said calmly. He could hear Korta laugh from the other end of the connection, “You have two hours kid, make them count.” he said finally. Chiko’s voice was back on a moment later, “So you’ve got his attention then.” she said somewhat amused, “That’s good.” Val could tell she wanted to say more, mostly because he shared the impulse. The journey from Raeth to Zyllovan had been rapid and busy for both of them. Much of their time had been consumed in research on behalf of Korta as well as their expected daily training regimen. The only time they’d had together was in the sparring ring aboard the Triumphant. Now, nearly a month into the battle they had scarcely seen each other at all. “I’ll see you soon.” he said, hoping she would understand. “Don’t rush, this is important.” She said, Val imagining a smile touching her lips. The comm went dead and Val turned to face Kavos. “Well, let’s get started.” he said with an exasperated sigh

The shuttle flew low behind the hills to avoid the attention of the anti-air batteries that had stopped the expeditionary force cold nearly a month before. Val clung tightly to his seat as they overflew the rear staging areas where the bulk of Imperial forces were camped. These would be the Stormtroopers and Knights that would lead the charge in Val’s planned attack, should that plan be enacted. He tried to imagine it, allowing his mind to run wild with possibility. He lost track of time, opening his eyes to see the headquarters complex coming up quickly ahead.  
The young Knight took a moment to collect himself and gave Kavos a reassuring slap on the shoulder. “Come on, this could make your career… if it works.” Val said with a smile. Kavos was less enthused, “I think we both know who they will blame if it doesn’t.” the Officer replied. “You never soil a Knight’s sterling reputation if it can be helped.” Kavos added bitterly. Val knew that to be true, at least partially. “We deal with our own.” Val replied somewhat defensively. It was a hollow defense, he did not particularly support the current punitive practices of his order either. Knights were above responsibility for their failures, preferring to blame subordinates in the greater interest of the organization.   
The damage of this policy was two-fold. Firstly the divide it created between the Emperor’s most elite guardians and the rest of his forces harmed cohesion and created resentment. Secondly, it failed to punish those bad actors and incompetents before their flaws could manifest in even greater failure. Val wasn’t sure which of the two was worse, but was certain that this systemic flaw could not be allowed to persist. He turned to Kavos, “If it fails it will be my failure, Duor.” Val promised. Kavos nodded, but something in his eyes spoke of suspicion. “Yes, well, we shall deal with that when it arises.” Kavos said as the shuttle made contact with the landing pad.  
Val stepped out into the rapidly falling evening. Misty rain streaked down from above, eliciting a sigh and a curse from his companion. “It didn’t rain a single blasted time during my last visit.” Kavos said with growing irritation. Val laughed grimly, which only further irritated Kavos. “What’s so funny?” the cold, miserable officer asked. Val waved for him to follow, moving briskly for the main bunker. “All of those intelligence reports and you never noticed…” Val said mockingly. “Noticed what?” Kavos said, oblivious. Val stopped in front of the main entrance, handing his credentials to the door guard, “That complex was once an Imperial terraforming site.” Val said. The pieces fell into place and Kavos’ face reflected the realization.  
“We should take no prisoners.” the officer said as the door guard performed his primary duty. Val gave a snappy salute before entering, Kavos followed suit still cursing. “It might not be intentional.” Val said placatingly, “My guess is the generator at the heart of the installation is their primary source of power and that they have minimal control over the output of the original device.” Kavos moved to his side wiping water from his uniform. “If you’re right then they are doing irreparable damage to the planet’s atmosphere.” he said. “Continuous operation for a month now? Two degrees of temperature shift or thereabouts.” the navy man said. “If this drags on too long, they’ll ruin their own world for a thousand years.” Val nodded, hoping it wouldn’t come to that.  
They were nearly into the control room when Chiko rounded the corner in front of them. Val hesitated for a moment, then turned to Kavos. “Do you m-? He began before his friend interrupted, “Not at all.” Kavos said, giving Chiko a warm smile before continuing his path toward the control center. She was the most beautiful thing he’d seen since coming planetside and Zyllovan had its beauty in spades. They embraced, then she took a step back, “Gah! You reek!” Val had fallen into a mire on his way out of his command post but she was clearly exaggerating. “If you wanted to shower with me you could just-” she pushed him playfully, making a disgusted sound.  
He opened his mind for a moment and allowed her to see his memories and the feelings associated with them. She recoiled for a moment as the worst of them struck home. “Yeah, it’s been a hell of a time here too.” she said, not willing to show him her own. They had discovered in one of their brief encounters that Val was prone to overreaching when exposed to her thoughts. It was an unconscious reaction, probably brought on by his curious nature. Chiko could see his memories and feel small inklings of what he felt, but Val would fall headlong into them, reliving and feeling every sensation in vivid detail. For obvious reasons, Chiko remained guarded and that was okay with Val.  
“You can tell me about it later.” Val said reassuringly. “I’m glad to see you and that’s enough for now.” he added with a smile. Chiko returned a smile of her own, then turned to follow Kavos. “Come on.” She commanded, “Korta will want to talk to you before the briefing.” Val moved to follow her, winding their way through the hall toward the control center. Val rehearsed the briefing in his mind, hoping he would not blunder when recounting it.   
Korta greeted him warmly at the door, a smile on his shed face. “Ahh Val it’s good to see you.” He said, maneuvering the younger man away from the assembled commanders. He lowered his voice as he spoke next, “These are serious men Val, they’ll hear you out but you must earn their respect.” He stated plainly. Val smiled confidently as he replied, “I’ll let the plan speak for itself then.”  
Korta leveled a disbelieving squint at him. “There’s no way it’s that good kid.” He said. Val’s smile didn’t fade as he recounted the details in mind. It wasn’t a matter of good or bad, it was the only way to accomplish their objective with minimal losses and damage to the facility. “I think they will be satisfied with my proposal.” Val said, knowing then what his selling point would be. The best way to command respect is to lead by example. “You just need to promise that the measures outlined be executed exactly.” Val added with a wolf-like grin. Korta nodded at that, “Alright Val, you’ve got it.” The Grandmaster said.

The commanders had approved his plan unanimously. Korta had been the lone voice of opposition, for obvious reasons in retrospect. Val keyed the ascension motor on its lowest setting, ensuring it would remain as quiet as possible while still performing its function. Chiko was a few meters to his right and above. She’d been exuberantly in favor of his plan, seeing it as an opportunity to free herself of Korta for a few days. Kavos had been less than happy given Val’s last minute addendum to the proposed measure.  
“I’m fouled again.” Kavos said with annoyance. Val looked to see his friend dangling a few meters below. Val halted himself then descended to assist him. It really wasn’t Kavos’ fault that the ascension gear assigned to him was barely functional. Knowing that didn’t keep Val from becoming quickly annoyed with the circumstances. Chiko was no better, her voice vicious as she spoke through the comm. “We really do not have time for this.” She said.  
“It’s not my fault!” Kavos said defensively, “Damned quartermaster had it out for me!” He said with a bitter laugh. Val managed to untangle the wire, causing Kavos to drop a meter. He dangled there for a moment before grabbing the controls again. “I hate you both.” He said bitterly. Val chuckled, keying his motor upwards again. Chiko was scrambling up a ledge above as he rushed to catch up.  
“Found it.” She said with little excitement, “Hopefully anyways.” She added. Val reached the ledge a moment later, the flat smooth metal surface immediately indicating that this was, indeed, their entry point. “This is it.” Val affirmed as he pulled himself up onto the walkway. A large airlock door loomed to his left, Chiko keeping watch to the right. He moved to the controls, hoping they would be functional. “They’ve got it locked down.” Val said with some annoyance.  
Chiko withdrew the cutting torch while Val set up the electronic spoofing unit that would suppress the alarm. Val had some trouble with the unit, but Kavos arrived a moment later with his tools. “Fifth rate system this.” Kavos said, “This door probably hasn’t been opened in nearly a century.” He added with a grunt of effort as he ripped free a panel. Val attached the spoofing unit to the revealed circuit and stood back nodding to Chiko. She had the cutting torch primed and stepped forward to start the work.  
“We’ve got one hour.” Val said, checking his mission clock. They’d lagged behind schedule due to increased enemy scrutiny during their trek to the mountain. Kavos readied his blaster pistol, his eyes nervous. Val put his hand on his friend’s shoulder, “We’ll be fine.” he promised. Kavos nodded, sliding the weapon back into its holster smoothly. “Wish I’d spent more time on the firing range.” he replied. The lock snapped open, the door creaking a bit as the heavy metal motors were dislodged from their long rest. Chiko put down the torch and stood, giving Val a tap on the chest as she stepped back, “Help me out.” she said, widening her stance and raising her hands. He followed suit as Kavos stepped back from them, channeling his focus and strength into the attempt.  
It was difficult, but with their combined strength the ancient airlock began to slowly open before them. They strained to open it wide enough to slip through, but it was enough. Gasping for breath, Val drew his saber and stepped forward. A datapad in his left hand displayed an archaic map they’d managed to pull from the archives aboard the Triumphant. It was not the specific map of the facility, but such world engines were built along a certain pattern by necessity. He turned sideways to clear the gap, his armor scraping slightly against the doorway as he passed. Chiko was directly behind him with Kavos bringing up the rear.  
The corridor stretched onwards for what seemed forever. Val noticed that this section of the facility seemed to be unused, which was as he’d hoped. World engines such as this were self-sustaining affairs with multiple redundant sections that the inhabitants could fall back on if disaster struck. In many ways they resembled large and exorbitantly expensive colonies, though they would never be able to export anything of value other than the atmosphere they shaped.  
It was why this battle had been so difficult to end. The structure itself was rated to resist incredible amounts of energy and kinetic force. Like some sort of mountainous tumor, the world engine clung to its target and set about its work with barely a care for the rain. Val had spent what little free time he’d had in researching the design, finding a few notable flaws. The primary one, the one that they intended to exploit, was the most basic: that he facility was not a secure one by design. Environmental redundancies and blast shielding were intended to defend those within, but not necessarily keep out infiltrators. Likewise, the engine itself relied on a single massive reactor array not so different from that on a starship, though larger in scale and without the security interlocks one would expect from a war craft.  
They came across signs of life a few hundred meters in. Scattered belongings and equipment haphazardly strewn about piecemeal. Val extended his senses, but found nothing in their vicinity. Chiko bent down and retrieved a meal wrapper, a thin sheen of dust disturbed by her action. “At least a day.” She said. It was a guess, but Val trusted her intuition and training. He slowed their pace, updating the map as they went. The signage around them indicated that they were roughly on course with around a kilometer of distance to go. They would need to descend through a probable high-traffic area to reach their target. Val turned to Kavos, “Prep the signal unit.” he ordered. Kavos did so as they moved, assembling the small but powerful transmitter that would trigger the distraction forces. Val and Chiko each carried another unit that would signal mission success or failure.  
Val navigated them to a junction room. He cleared it quickly and waved Kavos inside. “Trigger it and see if you can cause some havoc from here. Rendezvous with us when the attack signal is activated.” Val ordered. Kavos nodded, hesitating at the door controls, “Good luck.” He said with a nervous smile, then keyed the door shut. Chiko took the lead now, “Let’s hurry.” She said, moving off at a jog. Val followed a moment later, a strange sensation flooding over him as they moved. A terrible sense of foreboding fell over him as they navigated through the dilapidated facility.


	11. 11

Val was worried. The strange feeling had not left him, growing more intense the deeper he and Chiko descended into the world engine. Their route had been circuitous and there had been a few close calls with rebel patrols and engineering staff as they’d moved closer to the reactor. Their battle armor was now a liability, one that Val wished he had eschewed before the operation. His understanding had been that the majority of hostile forces would be Zyllovian, a species made distinct from humans by their orange-red pigment and four arms. Val was surprised to discover that seemingly half of the garrison consisted of humans. Their infiltration efforts would have been much simpler if they could pass as rebels themselves, but their armor made that impossible and it would be more trouble than it was worth to attempt to remove it.  
He ducked around a corner as another patrol jogged past, heading for the ongoing battle unfolding outside. Val hoped that the Imperial commanders had not committed to a full attack in the confusion. Chiko tapped his shoulder, urging him on. He moved, crossing a short distance to an adjoining corridor. Chiko followed after as they approached the final stretch leading into the reactor room. Val halted at the final turn, reaching out to track the life around him. There were two rebels standing guard at the doorway, both of whom were extremely bored. Val turned to Chiko and spoke quietly, “Chem darts.” he said. Chiko nodded, pulling free two of the small darts and handing them to Val.  
He readied himself, reaching out through the force to place them precisely in the space. With some effort he raised the darts from his hand and propelled them around the corner at great speed. The pair of projectiles struck home, embedding themselves in the flesh of the two rebels. There were two quick yelps of surprise, then a clatter as they struck the floor in unison. “Oh my!” a voice cried out. Val gave Chiko a confused look, but she was already moving. He realized an instant later what had occurred.  
Chiko didn’t hesitate in dismantling the protocol droid. Val watched in stunned silence as she went about the task with methodical calm, bare-handed. She ripped the droid’s processing unit in a single vicious strike that tore through metal and wire as if it were a blade through flesh. What was most disturbing to Val was how quiet it had been. He caught up to her a moment later as she was dragging the destroyed bot into a secluded corner behind a crate. Val moved the other bodies as she stood panting, obviously exerted by her previous attack.  
“How did you do that?” He asked, suspecting it was some sort of force enhancement. Chiko smiled playfully, “Oh this is a precious moment.” She said, relishing knowing something he did not. Val frowned in annoyance, then turned back to the reactor entrance door. He bent down and checked one of the unconscious rebels, finding an old-style keycard. He held up the card with a smirk. Chiko returned one of her own, “Quaint.” She said, checking the other rebel.  
Val moved to the doorway controls sliding the card into the slot. A low beeping tone accepted the card and the door slid open with a hiss. Val stepped through, entering a narrow corridor leading toward a distant light. Chiko was at his side a moment later, her lightsaber now palmed. Val drew his own, stepping down the corridor after withdrawing the keycard. Chiko hit the interior control panel, the door closing right behind them.  
Val moved quickly and quietly toward the terminus of the hallway. The reactor came into view slowly, the scale of the tumultuous fusion core was something of tremendous splendor. It was as if a small star had been captured in metal and plasma. The sparking energy emanating from the central reaction was the fire that had reshaped life on this once desolate world. It was like looking into the beating heart of the future. Val forced himself to turn his attention back to task, despite the spectacle unfolding before him.  
Chiko moved ahead to a control panel. It was as they’d planned for, thankfully. They’d arrived right on schedule. Val began preparing the attack signal as Chiko began the long shut-down scram sequence. It would take a few minutes at least for the monstrous energy storm to be reduced down to standby. Val placed the signalling device in front of Chiko. “Activate it when the reactor drops below 50% output.” He said. Chiko looked up with a smirk, but whatever clever jab she was about to take died in her throat.  
Val dove instinctively as Chiko pulled him down and away. The lightsaber passed over them in a swirling arc. Val rolled to his feet and ignited his own weapon. The green blade of the enemy’s lightsaber was descending upon him as he struggled to regain his footing. His enemy was a hulking Iktochi man, his face concealed behind an armored visor of grey durasteel. Two pointed horns protruded just below the mask threatening to skewer Val if he was not careful.  
Val drew his opponent’s next strike downward, pinning the saber into the floor plating, sending sparks into scattering across the floor. The Iktochi tried to kick Val back to free himself, but Val was faster. It didn’t send him reeling, but the bigger man was off balance as Val’s own kick landed. The Iktochi stumbled a few steps but recovered. The two opponents stated each other down for a few seconds, standing still as they planned their next moves.  
A howl of rage drew their attention. Val spared a glance in its direction, finding Chiko locked in a vicious battle with two opponents wielding vibroblades. Val fought back his momentary panic as he turned his attention back to his own plight. The Iktochi moved forward deliberately, moving in medium strides with good balance. There was a scream of pain from Chiko’s direction as Val took up the attack.  
He feinted high then twisted into a long lunge aimed for the Man’s chest plate. The Iktochi countered well, battering his stab away and turning the momentum of the block into a glancing strike that sparked off of Val’s armoured shoulder. Val winced as it grazed his flesh, knowing that if it were not for his pauldron the battle would have been over then and there. The sting of his failure made him cautious, he fell back to reassess his opponent, but the Iktochi was too intelligent to allow him that.  
Val matched each of his opponent’s strikes, but was not nearly as strong as the bigger man. Even worse, his opponent had a reach advantage, standing a head taller than Val. The Iktochi attempted to disarm Val with the same glancing wrist strike that Val had been taught by Korta. He seized the opportunity to reverse and his blade found purchase on the Iktochi’s right flank. Blue-red blood vaporized at his weapon’s touch, sending a sickening burnt iron smell in its wake. His opponent lashed out wildly, nearly catching Val through his neck before stumbling past him and collapsing to one knee.  
Val wondered if the strike had touched the man’s vitals. If Iktochi physiology was similar to human, the liver and kidney may have been ruptured. A scream from his right heralded the approach of a new opponent. Val barely had time to turn before she was upon him. Her vibroblade was barely perceptible as it flashed in a flurry of blows so quick that Val relies entirely on instinct to weather through. He made a split second decision, hoping his armor would stand up to the attack.  
He deactivated his saber, lunging forward to grab her sword arm by the elbow. She landed a single glancing blow that sparked off of his shoulder before yelling in surprise as he wrenched her into and arm bar. She twisted with the momentum and managed to flip free, but lost hold of her blade as she did so. Val flopped his newly acquired sword around and leveled it at her. “No!” The Iktochi roared in pain and desperation as it attacked Val from his flank.  
The man was slow now, clumsy and losing strength quickly. He stepped back, evading the wild strike. The second whipped out immediately with surprising speed and Val reacted unconsciously, catching the saber’s blade with his own while simultaneously driving the vibroblade’s tip through his enemy’s chest. Blood coated his hands as the larger man coughed behind the mask. Val let go of the vibroblade as the man fell, the weapon lodged too deep to easily pull free.  
Val turned back to the woman but was pushed off of his feet before he could complete the maneuver. He flew back, feet sliding across the floor as he fought to remain standing. He recovered in time to see Chiko deliver a final blow to a kneeling man, sending him crashing to the floor, lifeless. She didn’t see the woman approaching from behind green lightsaber descending toward her exposed back. No. Val thought, reaching out to grasp the enemy before she stole Chiko away.  
The woman flew back as Val wrenched her away in mid air, but the enemy’s blade reached Chiko, sending her down hard in a shower of sparks. Val ran forward as the woman rolled back into a low crouch. She had just enough time to recover a sloppy guard before Val descended upon her. His mind was empty as he rained his first flurry of blows upon her, probing her defense for the inevitable weakness to reveal itself. She matched him at each turn, both of them cold and calm as they danced to the death.  
She leapt back, drawing on the force to reach a scaffold adjoined to the reactor. He followed, the rush of energy propelling him up to meet her, blade flashing. The sparking energy of the world engine threatened to drown the sparking discharge of their contending blades. All was light and fury as he chased her across the gantry. Then the opening arrived and he committed to it.  
She stumbled against an uneven panel, a simple mistake that should have spelled her doom were it not that Val had already committed to his killing strike. He stumbled over her as his momentum carried him forward, striking the gantry rail and cutting through. The entire tenuous structure began to crumble as the ramshackle construction came apart in the wake of his lightsaber’s passing. It was not far to fall, but he was poorly prepared and landed hard on the metal floor. He struggled to rise, breath refusing to enter his lungs. A shadow fell over him and the sound of a lightsaber’s hum. He turned in time to see her, the green blade raised high in a killing strike, but unable to defend.  
A bolt of red energy struck her from behind, boring clean through in a flash of white. She stumbled forward a step before turning to the source of the blaster fire. Kavos fired again and again, forcing her back as she wildly deflected the incoming shots. In a flash of blurred motion she fled, heading through a doorway into darkness. Val crawled to his knees, retrieving his weapon before looking across the ruin wrought by the battle. Chiko was sitting up now, her armor smoking.  
He stood slowly, moving toward her as Kavos said something he couldn’t quite make out. “Chiko.” He managed weakly as he kneeled beside her. She was in pain, the blade having reached her through the armor. A long dark channel smouldered from collar to mid back, marking its passage. “Val?” She asked in confusion. “What happened?” She added, entranced. Val hoped that was a result of the armor’s medical suite applying painkillers and not something more serious. He laid a hand on her, careful to avoid the wounded area. He sensed her pain and channeled his energy into discovering the source.  
Nothing immediately life threatening had been hit, though the tissue damage would require a long stint in bacta. “You took a hit Chi.” He said calmly, “But you’re going to be okay.” He said, hoping his assessment had been thorough enough. Kavos was staring at the hallway that the woman had fled down, blaster at the low ready. Chiko looked up at him, “I don’t feel alright.” She said faintly. Val held on to her, turning to Kavos. “Activate the beacon, the reactor should be close to terminus.” He commanded. Kavos backed up to the controls, eyes scanning the room as he did. Val wasn’t sure why the man had come to the reactor room, but was certainly not angry that he had. “Thank you Duor.” He said as he held Chiko, whom had now fallen into unsconsciousness as the sedatives flowed through her bloodstream.  
“You were late to the rendezvous, so I came to ensure the mission was finished.” Kavos explained as he activated the beacon. He turned to Val, a questioning look in his eye, “Who were they Val?’ The navy officer asked, worry apparent in his voice. Val wasn’t certain, but there were a few possibilities, none of them boding well. “Rogue Knights perhaps.” He said, feeling deeply that this was not the case. Kavos looked back to the controls a sickly expression on his face, “Traitors.” He said, his voice full of disgust.  
Val looked down at Chiko, then to the two dead men. He laid her down gently before rising and moving to the Iktochi, the blade still buried in its chest with a growing pool of dark blood beneath it. Val leaned in, removing the mad to reveal the placid face of his departed foe. The man’s lifeless eyes stared blankly into the distance, a disturbingly serene look across his aged features. Her master, he thought before turning and walking to the other dead man. The man’s visor was cracked, revealing the flesh of his face beneath. Val removed the mask, disbelieving what he had seen. It was a man of Val’s age, his skin deep blue with red pupil-less eyes.  
“Watch over her Kavos!” Val said as he moved to chase the blood trail. “I will!” Kavos shouted back, knowing that Val would not leave her side were it not vital. The red eyes were forever burned into his mind, the same eyes that had stared down at Chiko from the darkness of the Adrass palace crypt.

She was slowing, the space between the bloody footprints was growing closer together as the woman’s stride grew shorter. She had made for a hangar bay constructed from an unused exhaust corridor that stretched out into a far away cavern that exited into above the sea. He’d caught a glimpse of her just before she entered the bay, racing to catch her before she could board a craft and escape his grasp.  
“Surrender!” He screamed, wanting her alive. The answers he needed were escaping him. He rounded the corner, a door shutting in his path. He ignited his lightsaber, cutting through the door as hastily as he could manage. The entire complex was now shaking under the barrage of turbo laser fire as the Imperial military began its assault. He finished cutting through, then stepped back and collected his strength, expelling it toward the door. It shifted inwards before falling to the deck with a earth-shaking crash.  
Her ship was a relic, seemingly of Correllian design, though not a model he recognized. She was halfway to the open ramp as Val stepped through the hole. He raised a hand seeking to pull her back toward him. She turned suddenly matching his strength. The two contested, the air and space between them compressing and shifting as they fought to break the other. It was an absolutely even contest. Val stepped forward fighting, the first step was the most difficult. With each consecutive step toward her he felt her power failing.  
She screamed in frustration and pain as he moved forward undaunted. With a last effort she expended what remained of her strength in a single moment, pushing him back a single step. She drew her saber stepping forward to attack. Val met her, locking their sabers in a guard before redirecting the blade of her saber into the ground. He turned away, bringing his blade up and across her hand, striking the saber’s hilt. She fell back as his blade continued up, striking her across the mask. She fell facing the ramp, away from him. He moved quickly holding the saber to threaten should she attempt something desperate.  
She held the broken pieces of her master’s lightsaber in trembling hands. “Surrender!” Val said his voice full of frustration as he struggled to catch his breath. She turned, her mask shattered. Val froze as he recognized her. She was younger than him by year or so, with a dark complexion and hair so black that it captured the light from his saber entirely. He knew this woman, he had seen her face before. The feeling was so vivid that he lost all sense around him. “Who are you?” Val asked, leaning in, his face contorting in confusion.  
She took a chance, pushing him back with a reserve of strength he had not expected, a scream of agony escaping her lips. For a moment he was lost, tumbling like a leaf in a wind storm across the hard metal of the bay. “Damn it.” he managed as he skidded to a halt some meters away. She was already up the ramp, the ship rising from the deck. He made to leap for the ramp but came up short as it blasted forward, sending him sprawling back.  
The second rise from the ground was far more painful than the first. “Ow.” he said to nobody in particular as he climbed onto shaking knees. Footsteps echoed from the corridors behind, the sound of blaster fire growing dimmer at their approach. He turned in time to see a squad of Stormtroopers sweep through the ruined doorway. They lowered their weapons as soon as they recognized him as a Knight, the leader approaching him. “My lord.” the sergeant said, giving a quick salute. Val returned it quickly before removing his helmet. “A ship just escaped through this cavern.” he explained, pointing half-heartedly to the long tunnel behind him. “Send a message to have it tracked and intercepted, quickly sergeant.” he stated calmly but urgently.  
The sergeant moved quickly, calling a comms officer and transmitting the message as quickly as could be expected. It would be too late to catch her, but maybe they would get the ship’s credentials, enough to track her. Kavos arrived a few minutes later, relief apparent on his face. Val waved for him to follow as he began the long trek out of the facility. “How is she?” Val asked immediately. Kavos expression was reassuringly placid. “Probably already in a bacta tank, the first friendly troops reached us only a few minutes after you ran off.” Kavos said, some curiosity in his voice. The question was implicit, but Kavos was a thorough man. “You didn’t chase her at first.” He observed leveling his gaze at Val, “What changed your mind?”  
Val considered it for a moment, unsure what he should share of Chiko’s past given the possible connections so recently discovered. He considered the nature of his friend and a gnawing guilt developed as he made his decision. “I think it’s better that this matter be handled by the order.” Val said, hoping his friend would not take offense. Kavos shrugged, seemingly unaffected, “Understood.” He said professionally. The response stung Val, he’d hoped to be informal with at least one of his naval peers.  
“I need a shower.” Val said, the totality of the last few days of battle crashing down on him as he reflected. Kavos laughed, “I didn’t want to say anything…” he said, averting his head and wrinkling his nose. “You’re no better.” Val said, pushing the officer playfully. “Whatever you say, my lord.” The last part was said sneeringly. Val was mortified, “You heard that?” He asked. Kavos smiled genuinely as he responded, “I hear everything.”


	12. 12

Korta thought he was a madman, at first anyway, but as Val had continued to explain, the old man had come around. Now Val was merely a fool, but a fool was sometimes useful. It was a bit foolish, Val had to admit that to himself. Chasing an unknown enemy agent into the darkness of the outer rim was a task for a fool.  
He had the ship’s hyperdrive signature, ID pin and name via the Triumphant’s security sweep system. The Reward was not registered in the Triumphant’s shipboard database and therefor could not be tracked to any known residence system. Korta had an answer to that particular problem, contacting the governors of systems along the projected hyper lane routes and implementing a trace for all ships matching the ID.  
It had taken weeks, but the Reward had been sighted. The first report had come from Corsin, the second from Taris, from which it had departed toward Bandomeer. Val had left the day the report arrived. After a short farewell to Kavos and Chiko.  
She was still recovering, the slow process of regrowing the destroyed tissue leaving her in continual discomfort. He wished she could accompany him, but was also glad that she hadn’t. What would his family think? How could he explain the change in her, in both of them. It had been two years since Ben’s death, but Val doubted if time could ever heal that wound.  
He smiled with satisfaction as he dropped his fighter out of hyperspace. From orbit in the light of the fading day Taris truly lived up to its title. The bronze-gold metal ubiquitous across all construction on the planet glittered very much like a jewel. He dropped into orbit at flank speed, heading directly for home.   
The palace came into view within seconds after breaking through the atmosphere. Val took in the sight, decelerating and preparing himself. He keyed the comm, contacting the command center in the palace. “Imperial Palace, this is Knight Kidann requesting permission to-“ Val was cut off before he could finish. “Val?” Came a familiar voice. It was Koll, Val realized after a long moment. “Koll?” Val asked to confirm. “We weren’t expecting them to send you! You’re father is going to-“ Now Koll was cut off as a girl’s voice broke over the line.  
“Val!” Zeya said, obviously shouting with excitement. Val had to suppress a laugh, now on final approach to the top landing pad. “Heya Zey.” He responded in a placative tone he deserved for her alone. “Koll I really need to know if I’m cleared or not.” Val added seriously. “Of course you are Val, it’s your home.” Val’s smile faltered slightly as he thought of the last year. Would it be if they knew about Chiko?

Zeya had grown taller by nearly half a meter, putting her roughly a head under Val’s height. Her personality had scarcely changed at all, to Val’s delight. She nearly jumped on him as he dismounted the fighter, his feet barely touching the pad before she’d wrapped him in a hug. Val laughed as she squeezed him with more strength than she intended, glad he was wearing his armor.  
Koll maintained a respectful distance, dressed in the uniform of th Kidann palace guard and having filled out significantly since Val’s departure, now standing a full head taller and much broader than Val. “You’re gonna crush me if you’re not careful.” Val said with a chuckle, “Has she been wrestling Gammoreans or something?” Val asked Koll. The towering young man chuckled, “She’s a terror sir.” Koll said, a smile on his face but his voice serious.  
Zeya turned and scowled at Koll, rolling her eyes and giving him a mock-threatening gesture. She turned back to Val and gave her best you will tell me everything smile. Val crossed his arms, awaiting the barrage of questions that was sure to follow. “Sowhatwasitlikeintraining, didyoulearnanythingreallypowerful, didyoureallyvisittheImperialPalaceandmeettheemperor?” She managed in a span of time Val could scarcely believe. He smiled as the perfect response came to mind. “Yes.” Val replied. The shade of red she turned was worth the kicking she gave him.

His father arrived an hour later, storming through the palace to the dining hall in search of his child. The door slid open and Tae Kidann did all but run to embrace his son. “My boy!” he exclaimed as he held Val close. Was he always so small? His father stepped back, a smile on his face. “Look at you in that armor, I’d bet every girl on Raeth…” Val didn’t hear the rest, his mind flashing to Chiko.  
“-ike your old man.” Tae said with a self-deprecating air and a laugh. Val played along with that, chuckling politely. “What’s the matter Val?” Tae asked, moving toward the table, eyes narrowed. Tae Kidann had lost none of his discerning perception, it seemed. Val followed him, taking a seat across from his father. “I’m on assignment father.” Val began, dodging the question Tae had intended. “Pursuing the fugitive that Grandmaster Korta inquired after a few weeks back.” Val drew a datapad with the details and slid it across the table. Tae caught it, giving the contents of the device a quick scan. “I had wondered why Yllidan was so interested in a single ship.” Tae mused. He looked up at his son, a nervous smile on his face, “So you know he’s the Grandmaster?” Tae said with a chuckle.  
“I wish you’d have told me.” Val said with a laugh of his own, Tae nodded, “It was his idea, mostly for Ben’s benefit.” The mention of Ben came easier to Val than it had before, he thought of Chiko briefly. “Can you imagine how full of himself he’d have been?” Val asked suppressing another bout of laughter. Tae didn’t manage as well as Val fighting through his own as he spoke, “That’s exactly why I went along with it son.” The older man turned his attention back to the datapad for a moment before looking back at Val, concerned. “He didn’t mention that part.” Tae stated, having obviously read about Val’s previous encounter with the fugitive.  
Tae grabbed a comm pad from the table and keyed it on, “Hello Nuolle, would you mind terribly to prepare a meal short-notice? Val is he-“ the comm erupted as Nuolle, the household chef, went berserk. The rapid chattering of the Rodian went completely over Val’s understanding of the language, but he picked up enough to know that the chef was outraged that nobody had warned him. The chattering slowed as Tae consoled the temperamental chef. Eventually he placed the comm down and smiled, shaking his head. “I hope you didn’t plan on slipping out, if you attempt it he may chase you down.” Tae said with a grin.

The meal transformed into a small feast as the entire household descended on the dining hall. Everyone was eager to welcome Val home, even many that he’d not expected. There were more than a few admirers that Val politely entertained with no shortage of discomfort. Koll had helped him through that, keeping Val moving around the room from one official to the next. It was strange to be the center of attention among his father’s subjects.  
These were the men and women that Val had always been taught to show deference and respect as the second son of Kidann. Now he was the only son of Kidann and the immediate shift in responsibility became very apparent in his interactions with the courtiers. They asked his opinion, whether genuinely interested in his perspective or merely in ingratiating themselves toward him, Val found it incredibly strange to be asked. He evaded these inquiries as much as possible, unwilling and unprepared to speak on matters that he had no insight on. He had just managed to escape one such conversation when a hand clamped down on his shoulder roughly. He spun instinctively, preparing himself for a sudden attack.  
“Val my boy, I barely recognized you.” Jae Siddall said a bright smile painted across his pale, angular face. Val’s face twisted into a smile of his own as his uncle embraced him. “Uncle!” Val said happily, both of them laughing. He had not seen Jae since they had laid Ben to rest nearly two years before. Jae looked around the room before turning back to Val. “How have you been Val?” He asked, his eyes showing concern. “I heard about the battle on Zyllovan.” Jae said with a grimace, “I can’t imagine that was an easy induction for you.”  
Val nodded, “You’re right, it wasn’t.” he replied, his mind straying back to the trench. After leaving Zyllovan Val had learned that the Imperial Expeditionary force had taken 20% casualties over the course of the siege. “It was nearly a disaster, Uncle.” Val said, remembering how close he had come to death, and losing Chiko. Jae’s smile was gone, “It’s good that it is difficult for us.” He said reassuringly, “One should always do what is required of them, but a man should also weigh those requirements with their morality.” Jae said, the old mercenary obviously reflecting on his own career. “Regret is inevitable Val, when in doubt, trust your feelings.” Jae said smiling grimly.  
Val thought of all that had occurred since the last time he’d seen his uncle, of the fundamental changes to his life and how he far he had come since. Something told him that of all those in his family, his uncle would understand the circumstance he found himself in. He turned to Koll, “Koll if it’s no offense to you I would like to speak to my uncle privately.” Val said. Koll nodded, his eyes showing some withheld question, before turning and walking off toward a girl that had been exchanging looks with him throughout the night. Val couldn’t help but smile at that as he gestured for his uncle to follow.  
They retreated to one of the smaller rooms adjoining the larger dining hall. Val ensured that the door was locked and that nobody was eavesdropping before addressing his uncle calmly. “What’s the deal Val?” Jae was the mercenary again, dropping the respectable guise he assumed when among the Tarisian nobility. He slouched and picked at himself and scratched at the soft spots where his armor chafed. Val hesitated for a moment, frustrated and uncertain of how to explain himself. “Chiko Suvan was also selected by Korta.” Val began, intending to soften the eventual blow to come.  
Jae narrowed his eyes, considering that for a long moment before responding. “That tracks with what I’ve heard of the Grandmaster.” Jae assessed easily, leaving Val slightly annoyed that he was seemingly the last person to have learned of Korta’s title. “She is evidently skilled and powerful, but we knew that.”   
“She’s amazing, uncle; the fastest learner and most talented fighter that I’ve seen.” Val said, a smile on his face. Jae’s eyes narrowed again, first in confusion and then in recognition. “Oh you bloody idiot.” Jae wasn’t angry, but he was clearly disturbed. There was a long moment as Jae considered what to say next, leaving Val equally speechless. Siddall turned to his nephew, a sad smile on his face. “I can’t say I agree with it Val but I know you understand what the consequence will be when it is discovered.” Jae said calmly. Val nodded, “I’ll face that when it presents itself.” The Knight replied.  
They shared another long moment of silence as Jae contemplates the quandary. Eventually he lightened, turning to Val. “So, what is she like?” Jae asked. Val smiled as he told his uncle about what they had endured together and how it had changed them, drawn them together. Val omitted the visions she’d not want anyone else to know of, but something told him that perhaps his uncle would have insight into one question.  
“She was trained by a group of aliens that I have never seen before. Blue-skinned humanoids with red eyes.” Val explained. “I encountered one during the battle on Zyllovan.” He said, remembering how Chiko had executed him just before nearly being struck down herself. Val looked up to his uncle, the man’s expression had changed.  
“Pupil-less red eyes and dark blue pigment?” Jae asked, his voice low and full of dread. Val nodded affirmatively, taken aback by his uncle’s reaction. “You’re certain about the eyes? It wasn’t a Pantaran?” Jae clarified, leaning against a pillar. “Eyes as red as the blade of the saber you gave me.” Val affirmed. He watched as his uncle mulled the information over, considering something Val couldn’t comprehend.  
“They are called Chiss.” Jae said, the words falling from his mouth like poison. “I’ve had a few brushes with their species working out beyond.” Jae added, referring to the wild worlds beyond the bounds of the Empire. Val was surprised that his uncle had ventured that far. “They are a strange and insular lot as an understatement.” Jae continued his expression becoming reflective, as if remembering something intimately. “Cunning and fierce warriors as a rule.” He said, looking at Val.  
Val took a leap, his heart telling him it was the right thing to do. He handed his datapad over to Jae. “I’m pursuing an associate of theirs uncle. An extremely powerful Rogue Knight, we think.” Val said as Jae looked through the information now in his hand. Jae raised an eyebrow at that, “You think?” Val stepped back shrugging as he did so, “No records on them, no identification or any other indicators of origin.” Val straightened, thinking about it for the thousandth time. “They weren’t Knights uncle, they were well trained and carried lightsabers, but their energy was different.” Val reflected on their actions, the master’s sacrifice standing out in his mind. He wasn’t sure what, but something kept screaming in his mind about that particular act.  
“Bandomeer eh?” Jae mused, “Never been myself, but it’s not too far out.” He added, then smiled. “Tell you what, I was planning on headed out for a while anyways, how about you tag along?” Siddall proposed. Val enjoyed the thought, traveling long distances in the starfighter was not a comfortable experience. “Thank you, uncle.” Val said with a smile. Jae leaned in, putting an arm around his nephew’s shoulder and pointing him toward the doorway. “It’ll be a good opportunity for me to explain some things.” Jae said tentatively. Val gave his uncle a confused look. “What do you mean?” Jae smirked, “Well, to put it simply, if you go out into the beyond as you are, you won’t come back.” The mercenary said with a light matter-of-factness that worried Val immensely.

Morning came far too soon for Val’s liking. He’d not realized how much he’d missed Taris before dropping into orbit. Now, as he prepared to leave he wished he had longer to stay. That feeling passed slowly, but was eased by the memory of how close he had come to losing Chiko.  
The goodbyes were difficult, but not so hard as they had once been. Val even managed to smile, knowing that when he returned from Bandomeer there would be time for them. It was strange how his time away had changed how he viewed his family. They had once been his entire world, now he had other, stronger obligations. More strangely, he realized that he wanted to leave. There was guilt, of course, for his bond to Chiko, but also a yearning that compelled him to move along.  
Zeya managed to smile as he boarded his starfighter having coerced him into agreeing to teach her some of what he had learned when he returned. Koll handed him a small case as his father spoke to Siddall. Val opened it, finding a Kuatech H-model blaster pistol inside. He smirked as Koll smiled widely. “It’s less conspicuous than a lightsaber.” He explained shortly. Val smiled at that, “I’ll be needing it then.” He looked at Zeya, then back to Koll, “Watch out for her, she’s going to be more than anyone on the planet can handle before long.” he said with a smile.  
Koll nodded, “Of course.” Koll responded somewhat nervously, “I’ll protect her with my life.” he added seriously. Val tried not to laugh, “Not exactly what I meant Koll, but I appreciate the sentiment.” Val saw his father and uncle approaching, “Good luck.” Val said, giving Koll a quick and amicable hug before moving to his father. The two embraced, then Tae stepped back looking Val in the eyes, “Come back, when your task is done.” Tae said hopefully. Val smiled, but his heart ached as he remembered Chiko and his new obligations. “I’ll be back.” he promised, knowing that when he did return, he would have to tell them all the truth. Jae shared a glance with Val, picking up on his desperation.  
“I’ll watch out for him brother.” Jae said, slapping Val on the shoulder. “What am I saying. Look at him! I think he’ll actually be the one looking after me now that I think of it.” Jae said with a genuine smile. Val nodded to him thankfully, “We’ll be fine.” he said. Jae released his grip, “Let’s get moving then, don’t want to miss our rendezvous, Shoj gets antsy hanging in orbit.” Jae moved off to his own craft, an archaic variant of Val’s own fighter, heavily modified with aftermarket upgrades and painted in the black and white of the Ebon Spring Company. Tae gave his son a final reassuring glance before turning to join Zeya, Koll and the other household members just off the pad.  
He gave them a quick wave, taking the sight before climbing into the cockpit. Jae lifted over his head, taking the lead position. Val powered on and lifted in seconds, moving to follow. Within moments they were far above the city, the palace slowly becoming less and less distinct. As they broke the atmosphere, Jae turned toward the hyperlane heading out of Imperial space. Val didn’t see the Prodigal until they were nearly on top of it. Val’s eyes widened as he realized why. His uncle’s ship was an Imperial Infiltration corvette, a cloaking warship. “Where in the galaxy did you manage to steal that from?” Val asked over the comm, incredulous.  
“I didn’t steal it… I’m just borrowing it involuntarily until a certain Moff can meet the terms of his contract.” Jae said light-heartedly. Val smiled widely at that, if the Moff owed him money and Jae could prove that he was within his right to claim the ship until the terms were met. “It’s just too bad she didn’t check the interest rate on the agreement.” Jae said with a hearty laugh. Val joined him, the full picture now apparent to him. “Follow me in, I’ll introduce you as we jump.” Jae said, heading for the single hangar bay on the side of their approach.  
They entered the empty bay hot and clamped to the deck quickly. Almost simultaneously the ship began to shift around them as they began the leap to hyperspace. As Val dismounted he wondered what he would find on Bandomeer and who the mysterious Rogue Knights had been. By the time he touched the deck of the Prodigal he was surrounded by the smiling, scruffy faces of his uncle’s crew. Jae smiled wickedly and beckoned for Val to follow him. “All right kid, I think it’s time we knock off some of that polish.” Val hesitated for only a moment before following his uncle, uncertain exactly what that entailed.


	13. 13

Shojj was just about the most unnerving person Val had encountered in his short life. The Mirialan was disturbingly thin, even for his small frame, but he radiated intensity and purpose in every movement. Every step was deliberate, every glance looking in just the right place for his quarry. Jae had assigned Shojj as Val’s guide, but his role was more that of a handler. Bandomeer was a wild world, ruled by the strong, an anarchic hub for all of those unfortunate and desperate souls scraping by at the periphery of the Empire’s wake. There were criminals, surely but also those whom had been neglected and betrayed by the galaxy’s greatest government.  
For every smuggler or psychopath there were three escaped slaves, disgraced nobles and desperate traders just seeking a better life not to be found among the strict laws and regulations of the Empire. Val pitied them, the Empire was stability at the cost of rigid social structure that selected only the most fortunate for elevation. If not for his name where might he have been raised? A place like this was not so different from the undercity of Taris, where the swoop gangs and flesh peddlers reigned, dauntless of intervention by the arbiters. He thought of the Twi’lek he’d faced in the trials, so close to crawling free of the eternal chain affixed to her by circumstance of birth.  
“Focus up kid.” Shojj hissed, having noticed Val’s expression. He’d not been paying attention to his surroundings, he kicked himself internally for it. “Sorry.” Val said apologetically, but Shojj just kept walking, his eyes scanning for danger. Val admired the man’s single-minded devotion to task, he just wished he was a better partner in the endeavor. It had been a long time since Val had felt himself a burden. Now, as they prowled the streets of Ilhottar in search of Val’s quarry he felt it might have been better had Shojj brought along a proper partner.  
“You feel the force, yes?” Shojj asked rhetorically. “Can you not track her?” the hunter added, genuinely curious. Val shook his head, “She is concealing her presence among the crowd I believe.” He looked at Shojj as he spoke, “We’ll need to lure her into a trap, deny her escape.” Val said, “Her ship is an old Corellian freighter, distinctively ancient.” Val added. Shojj nodded, “Bossman gave me the details kiddo.”  
Val nodded at that, “I’ll search for her, you find the ship and ground her..” He told the hunter. Shojj gave him an annoyed look, “Bossman said to keep an eye on you.” Shojj said dismissively. Val turned an eye toward the Mirialan, “I’m appreciative, but it’s the best chance we’ve got of capturing her.” Val said. Shojj gave him a toothy smile, knocking a tapping the weapon slung across his back with a long slender finger. “One good shot and we’ll have her kiddo, no doubt.”  
Val didn’t doubt this man could deliver. “Need her alive Shojj.” Val reminded his companion. Shojj nodded, “Didn’t say would kill her.” The hunter added, his voice full of mirth. “Unharmed would be preferable, I’d like to speak with her on reasonable terms..” Val added. Shojj stopped, looking at Val seriously, “If you want talk, then trap is not best way.” Shojj said, “Cornered bad for conversation, say things you don’t mean.” The hunter resumes his stride. “Desperation hard on the mind.” Shojj said somewhat distantly.  
Val could feel the man’s resentment building as he remembered some distant wound. The life of a mercenary was well known to be one of duplicitous scrounging. Shojj shared all of the danger that Val encountered in his assigned conflicts with none of the reverence afforded to a Knight. Val had to remind himself that there were benefits to a mercenary life, that it was considered a viable and acceptable means of elevating one’s position. How much of a disservice had been done to the Empire in denying talented persons like Shojj from serving at their proper standing on basis of blood and name? He stopped at the next corner nodding to Shojj, “I’ll check the medical facilities, I suspect her blaster wound was serious enough to warrant reconstruction.” Val said, hoping she had made it to a reasonable physician in time.  
Shojj shrugged, moving off in the direction of the nearest landing facilities. The merchant quarter of Ilhottar was probably the best hiding place in the sector. Among the endless throngs of desperate beings it would be a simple task to disappear. Val had a few advantages, his connection to the force being the greatest of them. Following his gut, he began his search by approaching the shadiest little surgery he could find. Well removed from the loftier clinics and more reputable parts of the city it seemed the perfect place for a fugitive to seek an invasive and painful operation away from prying eyes.  
The diminutive alien proprietor shrieked something unintelligible as Val entered. “Sorry, only basic.” Val explained, moving toward the desk. The small creature, Val had never seen its like before, rolled it’s large orb-like eyes in frustration, clearing its throat. “A-I spek basik leetle.” struggling with every word. “How helpy ou?” it added, leaning forward on the counter. Val smiled nervously, “I’m looking for a friend.” Val said, pulling an image up on his datapad, a droid’s reconstruction of Val’s description of the woman. The alien shook his head, “No no don’t wan trouble.” It said, moving for the back door.  
“You’re going to have trouble if you keep walking.” Jae Siddall said from the doorway behind Val. “Negotiations were short then?” Val asked as he turned back to his uncle. Jae was nursing a smoke-stick on its final drag, the smell of the alien plant cloying and viciously bitter. Jae smiled, “Well they paid of course.” Jae added, stepping toward the counter. The alien was frozen with fear as Siddall’s armored boots clanked against the metal floor. “You seen the girl?” Jae asked, placing the datapad on the counter.  
The alien shook as it pulled the device closer to its face. “I see her, yes.” He said, doing his best to calm himself. Val stepped forward, his uncle remaining a reasonable distance away. “Where and when?” Val asked, taking on a lighter tone, ingratiating himself as the trusted party. This felt somewhat unnatural to Val, but was one of the techniques that Jae had shown him on the journey.  
The alien’s eyes flitted from Val to Jae and then back again. “She need help, two weeks back, hard job.” The alien managed to spout. Jae leaned in again, “She leave a name?” The alien hesitated but eventually cracked. “Aella.” The small creature said somewhat sadly. “She very kind, please don’t hurt she.” Jae shared a confused look with Val. He wouldn’t have described their previous encounter as “kind” per se.  
Val looked down at the small proprietor, “You know where we can find her?”, there was no threat in his voice now. The alien looked up at him with wide eyes, “She leave quickly, head for ships I think, long gone.” The alien lied. Val gave the alien an accusing glare, knowing he had reached the limits of what could be taken painlessly. “Forgive me friend, but I do not have time for lies.”  
By the time he had released the alien’s mind the truth had become immediately clear to Val. She was still on the planet, receiving daily injections to supplement her healing. Moreover, she had not arrived for her scheduled appointment yet. The alien collapsed, sobbing from the invasive procedure Val had inflicted on him. Val regretted having to do it, but it was the most expedient way of interrogating the fool.  
“She’s over due for an appointment.” Val explained, pulling his comm. It was likely that she was still on her ship. Val hoped Shojj hadn’t acted too rashly, if he’d found the ship at all. The link was dead, which immediately put Val on edge. Jae reacted quicker, moving through the door and back into the street toward the ramshackle spaceport where Shojj had last reported from. Val was hot on his uncle’s heel, matching his frantic pace.

It was not an inconsiderable distance to the landing area. By the time the pair had reached the shambolic free-for-all that was the landing area Val was coated in sweat. He had become too used to the environmental systems in his armor and was now paying for it tenfold as he struggled to catch his breath. Jae was equally winded, but despite it he kept his eyes up as he scanned for the fugitive ship. Val began scanning as well when he was overcome with a sudden warning impulse.  
He tackled Jae down as a blaster bolt sizzled over them, drawing his open weapon he turned and rolled to return fire. It was her, one hand clutching at a freshly bloodied wound. Shojj must have stumbled upon her, his absence notable. Val hesitated before firing a suppressing shot that sent her diving into cover. The area’s inhabitants scrambled up and into their ships as she reappeared, firing wildly at Val and Jae. The pair were well in cover now, hunkered behind the landing struts of a ship. Green energy bolts sizzled by as Val caught Jae’s eye.  
“Are you sure you want her alive?” Jae asked sarcastically. Val rolled his eyes and sighed, “Unfortunately, I need to ask her a few things.” He said as an energy bolt struck just a few centimeters from his face, showering him with sparks. Jae sighed with frustration, “Never is simple with shinies.” He said, rising and leveling his blaster. Jae laid down an incredible barrage of automatic fire that sent Aella back into hiding.  
“Go and get her!” Jae yelled, slamming a new energy pack in and blazing away. Val leapt up as ordered, setting his blaster to stun as he ran. He flanked her from the left, catching a glimpse of her as Jae paused to reload again. He rounded the corner of the now-ruined cargo container she’d taken refuge behind only to dive right back behind the corner as she fired. “Wait! I just want to talk!” He yelled as she emptied the energy pack into the metal corner. When the clip ran dry, or so he chanced, he stepped out. The projectile struck him in the jaw, sending him reeling. As the spent blaster pistol struck the metal floor Val recovered enough of his senses to see Aella booking it for the Reward.  
He jumped up after her shouting as he ran. “Wait! Please!” He managed, spitting blood from his mouth as he pursued. She was faster than him by a fair amount, but her wound soon caught up to her, causing her to slow as she clutched involuntarily at the damage. Val gained on her, leveling the blaster as she collapsed from the pain. “Aella!?” He said, hoping that hearing her name might calm her enough to speak. She glanced up at him with eyes narrowed, a vicious look of hatred on her face. There was a long and quiet moment as they considered their next actions.  
He lowered the blaster, hoping she would hear him out. “I don’t want to hurt you.” He said, remaining still but alert, noting that she still carried her master’s lightsaber. She didn’t believe him, of course, but also made no move. “I just want to know why you were on Zyllovan.” Val said, lowering his guard just a little. She looked confused, then the anger returned. “Don’t do it!” He said, raising the blaster again as her hand moved for the saber, “I just want to talk.” He reiterated.  
A shot rang out, striking her from behind. Coils of blue-white energy struck her, sending her to the floor hard. Shojj stood behind her, nursing a few nasty looking cuts attesting to his previous encounter with the fugitive. Val sighed with frustration, then smiled at Shojj, “Well I suppose we’ll have plenty of time to talk now.” He said. Shojj was not so amused, “You owe me, Val Kidann.” The Mirialan said, searching the woman and confiscating her weapon. Val used the force to wrench the lightsaber away, placing it on his belt in a fluid motion. Shojj was exceedingly unhappy with this gesture but said nothing.  
“Yeeshaw Shojj! What happened to you?” Jae asked as he finally arrived on the scene, strolling casually. Shojj looked ready to shoot his boss, but looked away in what Val recognized as shame. “She got the jump on me bossman.” He said in a hiss. Jae walked over to the younger man, placing a hand on his shoulder, “Happens to the best of us boyyo.” He said chuckling. “Besides, this one is deceptive methinks.” Jae said, leaning down to place restraints on her wrists.  
Val agreed with Jae on that. When he’d first encountered her on Zyllovan she’d been the aggressor, well armed and armored with two allies. Now Val stood over a young woman, badly wounded but no less deadly had she been conscious. “You’re telling me.” Shojj said, wiping blood from his face, “I got a hit in on her wound, but she just got faster.” He said with annoyance. Val smirked, knowing that there were techniques that force sensitives used to numb pain and enhance their abilities inversely. He wondered how even the fight was without that advantage. In some ways, using the force seemed to be no better than cheating.

She awoke slowly at first, but panicked at the sight of Val standing guard in the doorway. He put his hands up placatively as her eyes took on a wild look. “I just want to talk, please.” He said doing his best to sound calm and failing somewhat, “If you want I can leave and come back-“ She hurled something metal at his head, but he managed to duck through the doorway as it clattered off the frame. “-later. I’ll come back later.” He said, closing the door and locking it. He regretted having to resort to the second measure, but it wouldn’t do for her to be running about.  
Shojj was chuckling from the other side of the bay, probably wishing Val had been hit by the spanner she had thrown. “She not happy with you.” The Mirialan observed. Val nodded at that, “She has a very good reason not to be.” He admitted. “I killed her master.” Val said. Shojj looked confused, “You free her and she hate you?” He asked, a genuine look of confusion on his face. Val smiled, “Different kind of Master.” He explained, “Her mentor.”  
Shojj nodded at that, “Losing teacher always hard.” He said with a sad smile, turning his eyes down. Shojj looked back to Val after a moment, “Was it fair fight?” Val nodded, not sure what that mattered. Shojj sighed as he stood and walked toward the bridge, “Very bad thing, she see you as superior and hate you for that too.” Shojj explained, “Good luck with that conversation.” He continued with a knowing smile of someone who had been in her position. With that, he moved to the cockpit and left Val to deal with Aella.  
It was a long time before he tried entering again. She was sitting on the floor, hovering just above it as she meditated. Val had sensed her conflicting and tumultuous emotions, but had chosen to remain distant. He made no attempt to interfere and waited patiently for her to address him. After a long moment he sat down across from her in the doorway and resolved to wait as long as it took. Eventually he too closed his eyes and let his mind stray.  
It was difficult to focus on such close proximity to the whirlwind of emotional discord that was Aella. Her anger was only part of it, the primary emotion being the cold pall of grief. A few short, hectic weeks had not been enough to deal with the loss of her master and friend. Val understood that all too well. She was beginning a version of the spiral he had endured not so long ago.  
“I didn't intend to kill your master.” Val said, his voice full of regret. Aella didn’t react at first, deep in a thought of her own. The words echoed on the metal walls of the small room. “He left me no choice.” Val said, knowing it was the truth. Anger flared as the words reached the woman, her struggle to maintain concentration becoming more evident. Then, at the height of her rage, it waned. “We should never have been there.” She said. “It was my fault.”  
Val was not accepting that, “It wasnt-“ he began, trying to stop her before she could take responsibility for his actions. Her eyes opened as she broke her concentration, “It was my idea to take the contract on Zyllovan, even though I knew it would lead to confrontation.” She said with frustration, “I foresaw it and thought I could shape it.” She was calm now, trance-like. “I was wrong.” she concluded, a distant look crossing her face. Val nodded, understanding again what she was feeling. “I know something like what you are feeling now.” Val said, averting his eyes in shame at the memory of how far he had fallen. “If you want vengeance, I understand-” he began, before looking at her seriously, “-but I will defend myself.” he said, his threat implicit.  
She considered that for a moment, then shook her head. “That is not my path.” she said with no small amount of effort. Val softened as she relented, allowing an opening that he could not pass by. “Neither is it mine.” he said. Aella picked up on that, raising her eyebrows, “Your partner, she survived?”  
Val smiled, “Vengeance may not be our path, but I think you should stay clear of her for the foreseeable future.” he said half-seriously. Aella nodded, “She killed Shoa.” there was a distance there that Val did not expect. Val inclined his head, “Did you know him well?” Val asked, confused about their relationship as he’d assumed they were both students of the master. Aella shrugged, “It is complicated and irrelevant to our mission on Zyllovan.” she said, the line drawn. Val leaned back, “Very well then, what was your mission?” Val asked casually. She considered the question for a long moment, “Our initial contract was as bodyguard detail for the ‘Supreme Guardian.’” she said with disgust. “That slime altered the deal after his fleet was destroyed.” the look on her face vicious.  
“We never found him.” Val stated plainly. Aella nodded, “He escaped two days before you took the fortress.” she explained. “I tracked him to Bandomeer, but lost the trail once he crossed into the Beyond.” she said, evidently annoyed. Val smiled grimly, “Outstanding debt?” he asked. She nodded, then returned the smile, “Of a sort, yes.” she considered something internally, but did not speak further. Val stood slowly and turned for the doorway, then stopped short. He turned back to her, offering a hand to help her up. She hesitated a moment, then took it, groaning as she stood. “Thank you-” she hesitated, “-I’m sorry, I never learned your name.” she said. Val smiled, glad she was finally coming around. “Val Kidann.” he said. She returned the smile as she spoke, “Aella Vax.”


	14. 14

“This is a terrible idea.” Jae had said, the words echoing in Val’s mind as he followed Aella toward the meeting point. The Supreme Guardian had finally responded to Aella’s call for a meeting, designating a very remote location on the jungle world of Gikt as the meeting place. They all knew it was a trap, but it was unlikely that the Supreme Guardian knew that Aella had recruited the commander of the Ebon Spring to her cause. Jae had not been happy about Val’s decision to help her in exchange for further information, but he had followed along anyways.  
Was that curiosity or simple pragmatism? Val wasn’t certain as of yet. The price for the Supreme Guardian was exorbitant, enough to fund the Ebon Spring’s operations for years. It was not a comforting thought. If that were his uncle’s motivation, how far would he go to claim that price?  
Jae and Shojj were hidden among the stars above, waiting for Val and Aella’s signal. The Reward was a few hundred meters back along the rough trail they had blazed toward the peak where the meeting was to be held at dawn. They had been fortunate to land during the dry season, the march already grueling without a torrential downpour to slow them further. Val wondered what, if any significance this place held to the Supreme Guardian. It occurred to him that the Zyllovian had chosen this venue simply for its harshness.  
“This is quite a lot of effort to simply kill us.” Val said with a little annoyance. Aella didn’t stop, prompting Val to try again. “Maybe he actually wants to bargain?” Val asked, the hypothetical not being entirely impossible to his mind. She laughed at that, “That would be the wise thing.” She added, then slowed to clear a bit of brush. “Thing is, Soyar Ghuun is not all that wise.” She said, referring to the Supreme Guardian by his Zyllovian title. Val had known that about the man, it had become plainly evident when he’d ordered his ships to stand and fight during the opening stages of the invasion.  
“So what do you think then?” Val asked. She paused for a second, considering how much to reveal. She made the decision quickly, “He will attempt to capture me, I believe.” She stated calmly, her eyes serious. “I have foreseen it clearly enough.” She added, turning back to the trail. Val followed close behind, “Your visions are that clear?” He asked, remembering his own dream-like hallucinations.  
She turned to look at him, “Usually, yes.” She answered, “This one was particularly transparent, given who Soyar Ghuun is.” She added, looking up to the peak. “You should conceal yourself at the edge of the clearing-“ she said glancing back at him, “-You’ll know when I am in need of assistance.” Val thought on that, “They may not attempt the capture if they see that there are two of us.” He countered, hoping to capture as many of the rebels alive as he could.  
Aella shook her head disapprovingly, “They are committed, I think.” She replied sadly. “Soyar Ghuun has spoken and there is nothing left but to obey.” Her logic surprised him. “The rebels I encountered were not so fanatical as that.” Val observed. She nodded at that, “There were many factions and intricacies involved in Ghuun’s revolt.” She began, resuming their path toward the peak. “Most of those under his command were simply allies of convenience, but these are his personal followers, his kindred.” She explained grimly. “There will be bloodshed.” She concluded as they entered a particularly dense copse of vegetation.  
She sighed as she put the machete away and moved to draw her lightsaber. Something was terribly wrong, Val realized, a moment before something leapt from the darkness. Aella caught the motion in her peripheral vision and dove forward, rolling along into the brush. A long-snouted reptile filled the space where she had been, all too quiet for its size. Val drew his own saber, but held back as the creature turned its attention toward him. It’s intelligent, Val realized, as the serpent’s eyes assessed him coldly.  
Val lashed out with his energy blade, cleanly cutting through an old and thick branch with little effort, locking eyes with the serpent as he did so. It snarled, which brought a satisfied smile to his face. So we understand each other then. Val thought, keeping his eyes on the beast and his senses on the world around him. Aella’s saber roared to life as she finally recovered from her desperate dodge. The beast turned toward her, giving a warning growl that gave her pause. “Hey!” Val yelled, arresting the creature’s attention.  
It reared back, it’s long claws digging into the bark of the trees surrounding it as it hefted it’s considerable weight. It was bigger than it had seemed, half the size of the Reward. It’s next maneuver was also alarmingly fast as it spotted Aella advancing a step. It’s tale lashed out, crushing the ground in front of her as she leapt back, sending loose earth flying in all directions. The thing’s tail was barbed viciously and oozed with viscous fluid Val assumed was venom of some type.  
He twirled the saber once and raised it above his head as he yelled again, making himself larger, doing his best to intimidate the predator. The overgrown lizard did not like that at all. Growling low and lowering its head to focus entirely on Val. The tail lifted from the ground, sending soil flying through the air in all directions. Val barely evaded as it descended toward him, rolling free of its path by half a meter. He came up swinging, the blade of the saber connecting with the scaled hide of the predator.  
It howled angrily, withdrawing the tail reflexively as it climbed farther up the trees. Val steadied himself does another attack, but the creature made no move toward him. The creature’s eyes flitted between the two humans it had regarded as easy prey with hatred and rage. With a final howl of pain and frustration it leapt from the trees deeper into the jungle growth and soon disappeared into darkness. The two were left in silence that gradually filled with the sounds of the smaller jungle creatures, returning after the departure of the predator.  
“Damn.” Aella swore as they stood panting in the darkness. Val laughed nervously, “That’s an understatement.” He could not sense the creature, which was encouraging enough for him to lower, but not deactivate, his weapon. He looked toward the distant peak, thin rays of light just beginning to show beyond it. Aella noticed the same, lowering her own weapon before stepping forward again. A devious thought flashed through Val’s mind and he didn’t hesitate in sharing it. “So you didn’t foresee that?” Val asked jokingly.  
She shrugged, “It’s not always that simple.” She said with mild annoyance. “The future is always in motion, small changes inviting greater shifts.” She explained. “A small shift in the wind alerts its prey, leaving the beast hungry enough to chance an attempt against us.” She elaborates further, her eyes scanning the surrounding trees for movement. Val comprehended her well enough, but something nagged at him regardless. “So how can you be so certain about what we discussed earlier?” He asked, referencing Soyar Ghuun’s plan and their own response to it.  
“I can’t be certain of anything.” She said, waving him forward to take the lead for a while. He began cutting through, turning his head to hear her as he did. “I suppose some things are more difficult to change, consequences for choices made or…” she trailed off. Val turned to see her standing absolutely still, her eyes locked forward at him, looking through him. She snapped free of it a moment later, catching his eye. “-the will of the force, perhaps.” She continued, a strange distance in her voice. Val raised an eyebrow involuntarily, “So you believe certain events are inevitable?”  
She scoffed at that, “No, but I believe that the choices individuals make are highly probable.” She answers. Val stopped for a moment and turned to look at her, “You knew what would happen on Zyllovan and thought you could change it.” Val responded, his brows furrowed in confusion. “I did.” Aella answered, eyes downturned. The look on her face chilled him. “I am not above that flaw, even if I can see it is pointless.” She says. Val nodded at that, but did not share her outlook. It seemed overwhelmingly bleak to his mind, to be tied by fate and circumstance. “I had hoped things could be different.” Aella said finally, breaking the silence with a grim smile crossing her face. “But maybe the things we suffer are for a greater purpose.” She said, Val sensing that she only partially believed that.  
“Maybe.” He replied, thinking of how tumultuous his life had become. He was not blameless for how he had developed, but he was also not entirely at fault either. There was a rhyme and reason to his life, as chaotic as it seemed in the moment. The will of the force was too powerful for it to all be random chance wasn’t it? “My choices are my own regardless.” Val stated, “We are who we choose to be, right?” He asked, some nagging doubt giving him pause.  
“Yes, that we may agree upon.” Aella replied, walking just behind him. They had nearly a kilometer’s climb remaining, which they took in silence. Val took the opportunity to reflect on what Aella had revealed. It should have been comforting to have that kind of foresight, but as he mulled it through the horror of it became more apparent. Aella could see the inevitabilities creeping ever closer toward her, unable to shape them despite her knowledge.  
Val wondered to what extent that was actually the case, as radical action to change an eventuality would certainly shape the outcome. The contemplation lessened the strain of the climb, but did not calm him in the least. He wondered if her gift could be taught, or if it were something inherited.  
He stepped out into the clearing, Aella only a few strides behind him. It was empty save for the pair of them. The appointed time was a few hours off, though Val expected their counterparts would arrive earlier than expected. Aella revealed a small device from her pack, placing it in a small area of flat ground before activating it. It whirred to life, distorting the space around them as the cloaking device concealed them.  
“Useful tech.” Val said genuinely, knowing the extent of Imperial cloaking technology. Individuals could be done, but this device seemed to encompass an area, something far beyond their current capabilities. Aella smiled, unfolding a thin survival blanket and placing it on the ground. Val did the same, plopping himself down and checking himself for crawlers and pests before relaxing. Aella yelped as she followed suit, tossing a large insect of some variety a few dozen meters outside the barrier.  
Val giggled at that, but said nothing, knowing he’d have done the same. Aella gave a short and nervous laugh a few moments later, “Did you see that thing?” She asked. Val had, it had probably been a harmless beatle of some sort, but when an insect is the size of your hand it’s hard to reconcile that with your immediate reaction. “Yeah, pretty sure their venom is deadly, you’re lucky.” He said. He didn’t have to look to Aella to know she was frowning at him, her sudden panic followed by a slow shift to annoyance was enough for him to crack another smile.

The ship descended rapidly, an hour ahead of schedule. Two smaller craft split off, speeders of a commercial variety that Val recognized but did not remember the brand of. The ship put down in the clearing, its model more recognizable to Val as an Imperial class administrative cruiser similar to the one that had carried him from Taris to the Triumphant. His mind strayed back to that day, the distance between that boy and the man he had become seeming so vast.  
The two speeders reappeared, moving quickly around the surrounding area before turning in unison toward the clearing. Val wondered if they had gone far enough out to discover the Reward, hoping that their ploy would not be wasted. Aella gave him a nervous look, her energy that of frantic anticipation. She was nervous and noticeably angry as well. “You okay?” He asked in a low but conversational tone.  
She looked at him, her eyes revealing shame as she realized he had noticed her anger. “Not really.” She replied, “But I’m good enough.” She added calmly, glancing back at the ship. The hulking bodyguards were well armed, but eschewed any sort of ablative armor. Val suspected that at least a few of them would be wearing PDS units, Soyar Ghuun being one of that number.  
They observed as the bodyguards prepared their ambush. Val’s macrobinoculars tracked them as they climbed the trees surrounding the clearing, a few of their number sporting Knightsbane bolt-throwers. He was glad that they had decided to reconneuter their opponents. “Didn’t expect them to be this well prepared.” Val said, pointing out the marksmen. She smiled grimly as she responded, “I did warn you.”  
Val nodded, she had not exaggerated their efficacy. “I’m ready when you are.” He said, meeting her eye. There was anger there, but not so much as before. She inclined her head, thinking of something Val did not attempt to grasp, before standing and moving forward. He followed, moving to her side as she drew the cloaking device into her palm with the force, deactivating it. She didn’t look at him as she softly spoke, “then let’s get to it.”

The look on the Soyar Ghuun’s face was gratifying. It was evident that he’d received reports of the battle in the reactor room. He’d expected Aella alone and it was clear to Val’s eye that he was weighing his options. More than that, Val could sense his fear, well hidden behind the mask of a politician. A sickly-smooth smile crossed the Ghuun’s face, a transparent ploy intended to disarm his quarry. Aella did not return one in kind, Val sensing her anger flaring as the Alien’s lips parted. “My friend, I am glad to see you are alive.”  
Val felt a sympathetic urge toward murder, forcing himself to withdraw some of his attention from his companion’s internal struggle. The depth of rage she felt would take a long time to process, the wounds inflicted by the passing of her teacher too fresh to conceal. Val smirked involuntarily, his admiration for her growing as she continued forward, undaunted. She was not a wanton killer, her restraint immaculately preserved. Her face was stoic, focused on her enemy, eyes collecting only the details needed to accomplish their goal.  
Twelve paces from the foot of the ramp, she extended her hand toward the Ghuun. The alien froze involuntarily, her grip closing around him as an invisible vice. Her free hand drew her lightsaber slowly, the bodyguards leveling their weapons toward the pair of humans. Val’s own saber was out now, but not activated. “Surrender or face the Emperor’s justice!” He announced, the ultimatum clearly conveyed. A knight need not concern themselves with litigation, their justice was direct and often violent.  
“Ki- k-kill he-“ the Ghuun began, but Val silenced him with his free hand, drawing a look of surprise from Aella. The Ghuun wheezed as Val’s grip around his throat eased. The bodyguards were unshaken by their master’s degradation. Val admired their loyalty and pitied their poor fortune. Exiled to the end of the galaxy in service to someone so unworthy, a tragedy. Val felt their calm, collected dispassionate courage, their minds were made and all they sought now was an opportunity.  
“Now, uncle.” Val spoke into the comm on his wrist. An instant later the air erupted around him with blaster fire, but Val was already moving. His blade roared to life as he leapt forward into the center of the formation of Kindred. Aella was beside him and together the two fought a fevered scrum with the pride of Zyllovan. Val scarcely registered the dual explosions signaling his uncle’s arrival on the battlefield. The speeders were vaporized, the Kindred manning them dispatched in a blaze of erupting fuel cells.  
Val felled two of his opponents quickly, his blade opening them at the waist, sending them down hard. The third was not so quick, landing a few powerful clashing blows that shook Val’s frame as he endeavored to withstand them. Aella was faring well, hesitating only to finish a wounded warrior off as he scrambled for his blade. Val snapped the guard’s neck with a flick of his wrist a moment before he would have landed a blow on Aella’s unprotected flank. His own opponent capitalized, executing a perfect disarming technique that sent Val’s saber spinning into a high arc above them. His hand now freed, Val reached out, lifting the man above him before throwing him savagely into the landing strut of the ship.  
The saber soared into his hand as Aella dispatched another guard, screaming in pain as a stray blaster bolt grazed her arm, sending her spinning back. Val was at her side immediately, covering her from the deluge of blaster bolts from the remaining guards. He switched the saber to his left hand, drawing his blaster to return fire. It was nearly impossible to keep that up for long, a few bolts slipping through his guard, missing the pair narrowly. One well-placed shot from his pistol struck the most adept of the enemy marksmen, sending the target to the ground with a smoking hole through his chest.  
He holstered his blaster just as Aella was recovering, their joint defense enough to hold back the storm of bolts. The treeline around the clearing erupted in gouts of dirt and fire as Jae’s ship continued to lay a suppressive screen of overwhelming fire. Aella pushed the Ghuun up the ramp, her arm bleeding and black from the wound she had incurred in the fighting. Val followed close behind, batting away the decreasing enemy fire. As he reached the top of the ramp, stepping through the threshold of the interior door Aella keyed it shut.  
In the dim light of the ship the pair breathed heavily with excersion. The Ghuun was crumpled on the deck ahead, his blue-tinged scales split where Aella’s boot had landed. She leaned against the door controls, the thumping report of the blaster fire outside growing steadily slower over the course of moments. That is all it had been, in truth, no more than a minute from beginning to end. Aella looked sickly pale as the blue-white light of his saber painted her features. He deactivated it, keying the internal lighting panel to examine her wound.  
“I’ve had some rotten luck lately.” she said, in shock. Val pulled a stimpack and cuff from his belt, placing the latter around her arm before administering the chems. She offered no resistance, the pain of the injury, superficial as it was, starting to grow. “Thank you.” She said begrudgingly, a grim smile spreading across her face, a glimmer of relief in her eyes. “I foresaw great pain resulting from this but perhaps I was mis-” She straightened, a look of clarity shooting across her lips as the realization came. The blaster bolt struck him suddenly, sending him flying backwards and showering the floor with pieces of his armor. He slammed heavily into the interior hull, something coming loose in his left shoulder.  
It was over before he rose again, the Ghuun’s severed hand still clutching the heavy blaster pistol he’d concealed. Aella stood over the alien, her saber nearly touching the Ghuun’s neck. Val stood, his body rebelling against the movement, drawing Aella’s gaze. Her eyes widened as it fell on him. He didn’t dare look at the wound, knowing it would force the shock to fall upon him quicker. The Ghuun squealed in agony as Val collapsed to his side, placing his hand upon the alien’s head. This was an opportunity that Val could not pass by.  
The Ghuun resisted for only an instant, but the pain of his wound weakened his resolve. All it took was a small push and the alien’s mind broke under the strain of Val’s attack. With it came flashes of the grand design. A figure in black, funds exchanged and the violence that resulted. A woman’s voice, soft and clear, whispering through his head. “You will draw them to me…” she said, her lips unmoving. I will… came the response from deep within. The mind fought for freedom, a single word reverberating through what remained of his consciousness. Darkness came for them both as he fought to comprehend the alien’s thought. He felt Aella’s hand upon him, slumping back and away from the Ghuun, looking up into her worried eyes.  
Shadowhand. He mouthed as he faded into the darkness.


	15. 15

Aella was nearby, he sensed. Jae was as well, though at a greater distance. It was cold and wet, his eyes slow to open. Green-blue liquid surrounded him as a single tube connected to his respirator. There was a light numbness to the afflicted region, the bacta already healing the blackened skin. It should have been worse save for his armor. A flash of Chiko’s face entered his mind, he hadn’t said goodbye.  
Aella was asleep in the corner, covered by a thin blanket. The healing cuff lay discarded nearby. Two days at least. He reasoned, his senses slowly returning. There was a dull ache from his chest, curiosity driving his attention in that direction. A star pattern of scarred skin of a hand’s width was imprinted across his left pectoral. The external damage was nearly healed, but the internal would linger as the bacta coursed through his body.  
He closed his eyes again, allowing his mind to wander. His uncle’s mind was closed to him. A screen of seemingly random thoughts acting as chaff. Val had known this of Jae, but the presence of Aella had intensified his uncle’s efforts. Shoj was sleeping as well, but lightly and without dreams. Val supposed it was closer to meditation than true sleep. He’d attempted such a state under Koorta’s instruction but had yet to have great success in attaining the peace of mind and singular focus required to enter the trance.  
His mind returned to Aella, her thoughts unguarded, flowing freely like a fine mist. Curious, Val approached, not intending to go beyond a brief glimpse into her emotional state. Flashes of faces, places and events from a life not his own, a warm glow of fondness for these things and the cold of their absence, lost forever. She was dreaming deeply of the past, which he was content to leave her to, were it not for the briefest flash of something else. A world on fire, the screams of billions and a figure that watched solemnly over the destruction. The ship was of alien make, the figure clad in armor of red like blood. They seethed with dispassion and foulness that sparked vicious anger in Val even so divorced from this imagined event.  
There was a familiarity to it. He knew this being, this aura. It was like Chiko, what Chiko may have become had she continued along that path. Aella stirred, the nightmare awakening some part of her, forcing Val to withdraw. She did not awaken fully, however, mumbling softly as the terror within her grew. Desperation mounted as she fought to escape the dream. “PRU’D GA’AN!” She screamed, beginning to convulse violently. Val opened his eyes, clawing toward the glass of the bacta tank. The lights in the----- medical bay flickered as power began to fail across the ship. Aella lifting herself slowly into the air, still convulsing as the dream manifested within her mind.  
Her left hand shot out suddenly, a durasteel hull plate bending as she grasped for some invisible foe. “NO!” She howled, her voice thick with desperation, tears streaming from her eyes as she pleaded with the phantoms. Val hardly felt his wound at all, panic driving him to search for the emergency release. It was an old pod, the release was a manual lever resting near his feet. He pulled himself down, wrenching the control up and popping the seal with a hiss of inrushing air. Aella was spinning about the room, her convulsions and attacks crushing equipment and threatening to rip the ship itself apart.  
Val leapt from the tank, feeling something freshly healed tear open as he did so. With scarcely a moment to react, he evaded a medical drone destroyed and tossed toward him by Aella’s fit. He ran toward her, hoping to catch and wake her, but she resisted, sending him flying back into a bulkhead. “Aella!” He yelled, an invisible weight pinning him to the bulkhead. “Vax! It’s not real!” He reasoned, hoping to break through but Aella paid no heed. Val breathed deeply, focusing himself before reaching out, his hands outstretched as if to push away the invisible barrier. With great effort, he managed to free himself, but the maintenance of that foothold drained him quickly. He had to reach her somehow.  
He closed his eyes again, embracing the vision. Aella fought a desperate battle with the phantom warrior. The two danced before the dying world, sending shards of metal and fire skittering off the floor of the ship around them. Val yelled for her, but she was too deeply devoted to the vision. There were other horrors in this nightmare world, flashes of the dead, of pain and bloodshed and torment. Val waded through these, forward toward her and the foe. Always out of grasp, always too far to reach.  
The darkness reminded him of home, of the battle in the command room, the war on Zyllovan as well. As his mind strayed, so did the vision surrounding him. Aella’s fear grew as the scene devolved. Shouting incoherently as the phantoms grew in number. He reached out to her, knowing it was too far to reach. He spoke softly, “It’s not real.” Aella was weeping now, cowering before the monsters surrounding her. “These are just memories.” Val said, his voice echoing across the eternal silence. Aella stiffened, turning toward his voice, the look in her eyes wild and distant.  
His hand lay upon her shoulder, the vision fading as her consciousness settled. Val opened his eyes, Shoj and Jae stood in the doorway as he kneeled over her. When her eyes opened, tears fell freely down her cheeks. She sat up, grabbing him by the shoulders. Shoj made to reach for his blaster, but Val’s look dissuaded him. She looked deeply into his eyes as she spoke, slowly, each word dripping with fear. “Not memories, the future.” she said, her head falling as she began to cry. “An inevitable convergence.”  
His heart skipped at that, knowing she believed it. Jae moves to cover his nephew, placing a large towel over his bare shoulders. “You should wash up and rest kid, the bacta tank will need repairs, so I hope you don’t mind that scar too much.” The old mercenary stated grimly. Val looked to the wound, freshly bleeding although faintly so. Val shrugged at that, “Can’t be helped.” He said, giving Aella a reassuring look, “I’m mostly healed anyway.” He said, lying mildly for her benefit.  
“I’m sorry, I thought I was in control.” Val waved it away. “Trust me, nobody was expecting this.” He said, standing and beginning to wipe away the sickly sheen of bacta from his skin. He inspected the damage to the tank, a chunk of glass had been shattered where he’d impacted and the control panel had been destroyed by a stray piece of the medical droid. “You’re incredible you know.” He said, surveying the destruction around him. “It would take a lot out of me to do something like this, but you’re only a bit winded.”  
He moved to the medical bed, sitting down and grabbing a towel. “Is it to do with your gift?” He asked, genuinely interested in her talent. Aella leaned against the wall behind her before sliding down to the floor. “I don’t think so.” She replied, “In fact, I don’t think I did this at all.”  
Val’s face twisted into a confused frown. “What do you mean? It was just a vision, it had to have been you.” He reasoned, knowing that what she suggested was not possible, or rather should not be. He moved to dress himself, a horrible thought reverberating through his mind as he did so. Was her gift so attuned that it allowed energy to pass through? He turned, his eye catching a shard of metal that didn’t belong. He bent to pick it up, his tortured skin screaming as it was stretched. It was dark and cold in his hand, a damascene pattern flowing along its surface like waves on a sea.  
He tossed it to her and as she recognized it her eyes widened. “Has anything like this happened before?” he asked, wondering if she was able to control a power of this magnitude. She was slow to respond, a long pause of contemplation before she nodded affirmatively. “Only a few times, never so vivid as that.” She replied, then explained, “It occurred when I fought you on Zyllovan, the night before I had a vision of the battle. It is how I found the opening to strike your companion.” That only confused him further. “Explain.” He said, sitting back to listen closely.  
“I knew the vital moment because I had lived it before.” Aella replied. “A momentary lapse, but enough to remove her from the fight.”  
Val closed his eyes, remembering the moment. Chiko had frozen after executing her foe. Had it been the vision of Aella which had caused that? He shook his head, trying to clear a growing ache. “Do you know who it was? On the other side of this vision?” Val asked. Aella merely waved it away, “No, I’ve never felt anything close to that malice before.” she said, her eyes distant, reliving the experience. Val looked away from her. He had felt something like that before, a lesser malice still, but its character was unmistakable. “I have.” Was all he could manage, remembering Chiko as she had once been.  
“Where?” Aella asked, her curiosity primed. Val met her eye, but shook away the question. “Too close to home.” He said, dodging the question. “Your visions are of the future alone?” He countered, hoping she would not push him on the previous.  
She shook her head as she answered, “Not always.” A fresh sensation of fear shot through Val as he reflected upon the power that they had tested. “I must report this.” He began, not looking at her. He felt the shift in her, a distance that grew between them as conflict loomed.  
“Relax Aella, I would not force you to face that.” He said, hoping she would believe him. Her eyes narrowed as she mulled over his words. “But you’d ask me to, wouldn’t you?” She posed, her voice taking on a tone of annoyance. Val smirked sheepishly, “Would you consider it?” He held out his hand, gesturing wildly as he explained, “I’m merely one man, my word can only carry so far, but with your gift, we can show them the threat!” He said, his passion growing as he did his best to channel his father. The effect was not necessarily as he’d intended. He was met with cold silence as she considered, then that coldness warmed as she began to chuckle softly. “I’ll want my ship back when we’re through and safe passage out of Imperial space.” she bargained. Val shrugged at that, then stood and moved toward her, hand extended, “If this is as important as I believe it to be, you’ll have nothing to fear from my order.”  
She took his hand, the deal made, her smile was warm and hopeful for the first time since he’d known her. He could get used to that.

They rendezvoused with the Prodigal above Bandomeer. The ship was large enough to include three small hangars. One was occupied by his uncle’s Z-210 Chimera, an after-market variant of Val’s own Z-80I favored by mercs for its modularity and blistering speed. The second played home to Val’s starfighter. The third and largest held two craft, a P-86 Shuttlecraft and the Reward itself.  
The crew of the Prodigal were overjoyed to welcome back their employer, Shojj even managed to seem somewhat less serious upon their return. Val was forced to run the welcoming gauntlet as well, receiving an uncountable number of slaps on his shoulder as his form of welcome. Aella’s appearance was somewhat confusing to the assembled crowd, as each of them noticed the lightsaber she carried. In truth, it was still strange to Val that things had played out so well, near-fatal blaster wounds aside. He’d ventured out to find an enemy and returned with a powerful ally. Koorta would have called that a desirable outcome.


	16. 16

It had not been his intention to return to Taris, but as they passed the thin threshold that constituted the limits of Imperial space, Jae made it clear that they had no choice. Val stared at his uncle from the co-pilot’s seat, the older man’s face contorted with dread. Val felt it too, an anticipation of something just out of his perception’s grasp. “What is it, uncle?” Val asked, looking back to the star lines ahead, they were only minutes away now.

Jae sighed heavily before responding, “Your father sent me a signal on my emergency channel.” The mercenary explained, “No message, just a repeating pulse.” He elaborated further. Val’s heart skipped as he reached frantically for the controls, tuning in to the frequency.”Tha-tha-the-tha-too.” He slammed his fist into the controls. “It’s code!” Val said, turning to face his uncle. “The palace has been taken.” His face burned with rage, how had this happened? Why hadn’t he been where they needed him.  
“By who?” Jae mused, “Certainly not the Adrass, they simply do not have the forces necessary, not after the clan war.” His uncle was correct, there was no conceivable way the Adrass had managed to rebuild their forces this quickly. Val stared into the void, the stars streaking past them as they closed on the Jewel of the Mid-Rim. He closed his eyes, focusing as he had never done before, reaching far beyond the ship, grasping for a connection with his home. There was a glimmer of something, a vision so blurred and warped that Val dismissed it as merely an illusion of his panicked mind.  
“Dropping in 5… 4…” Jae began. The vision cleared suddenly, striking Val with a torrent of emotions. Fear, desperation, hatred. It was too much, on a scale he’d felt only once before. “We’re too late.” Val breathed. The Prodigal dropped into the space above Taris, its stealth systems engaged. Eight alien ships sat in close formation ahead, directly over the capital sector. The wreckage of the defense flotilla drifted lazily around their replacements, pieces of the shattered Cogent-class Star Destroyers beginning to fall to the surface. Aella had joined them, Val sensed. The terror from the planet below had numbed him.  
“Who are they?” Val asked her, hoping faintly that she may have stumbled upon their like before. She didn’t respond initially, forcing Val to turn to her. She was staring ahead, awestruck. “Aella.” he said, softer than he’d intended, desperation leaking from his voice. She stirred, gazing toward him. “Please.” he begged, grasping fo in this new and terrible reality he had returned to.  
“They are Mandan.” She stated. Jae whistled at that, “Really? I’ve run into a few of their kind along the Rim but I’d have never thought they were capable of this.”  
Val’s mind sought the word, but no memories or teachings revealed themselves. “What are Mandans?” Val asked, his curiosity and anger both leading him in the same direction.  
“They were once known as Mandalorians, long ago, before the Darkness.” Aella began before Jae cut her off, “They’re warriors Val, whole culture is devoted to it.” The mercenary said, “Didn’t think there were this many of them left.” Jae said. Aella went silent at that, prompting both men to turn toward her, their faces conveying the question. Aella sat in the navigator’s chair, pulling up the star-map and outlining a region in red. It was roughly the same size as the Empire itself, stretching across the entirety of the Eastern Outer Rim. “This is the Empire of the Mand as my Order has recorded it.  
Val stood, moving to her. “How have we never encountered them before?!” Val yelled, his impatience growing, the indignation and rage sitting on his chest. “How did nobody see this coming?” He continued, pointing to the map. Aella turned away, unable to meet his eye, her face twisting with anger. She looked up at him suddenly, her face calm in that familiar way he’d come to characterize her by. “Because they didn’t allow it.”  
They all understood who they were, the Shadowhand had been the primary conversation point since the Ghuun had given his mind up to Val. He grimaced, “How is that possible? To conceal an entire Empire?” it was too much. The galaxy was a vast and empty realm, truly, but stories should have been carried from the Beyond. It struck him suddenly, the realization horrid in its simplicity. He turned again to her, “You knew about the Shadowhand before Zyllovan.” he said, fresh bile rising from within.  
She shook her head, denying it. “I did not know who was behind the Ghuun’s plot, but it was our responsibility to investigate and reveal them.”  
He relented, sensing truth in her words. What value was there in that now? Could he truly believe his own intuition now? The small voice in the back of his mind was quiet, unwilling to guide him beyond this point.  
Jae broke the silence first, “I’m taking us down, I can hide us among the debris, maybe slip in close enough to drop the Reward free.” he said, the ship maneuvering as he described. Val was silent, trying desperately to center himself. His eye settled on a reading that made his stomach turn. “It’s no use, the planetary defense shield is still operational.” he said, his throat tightening.  
“What?” Jae asked, turning to the instruments before cursing, “Damn. How did they breach without disabling the array?”  
Val looked at his uncle blankly, “Either a cell of agents gained control or... “ The implication was clear enough in his mind. There was only one clan on Taris that had the means and motive to sabotage planetary defenses and they so happened to have ties with groups from the Beyond. Jae nodded, “Yeah, that tracks.” he breathed.  
Val moved his hands across the keypad, typing in a long-rehearsed code sequence. “I can get the Reward through, but we’ll need to leave the Prodigal here, it won’t fit through the breach.” Val explained. The emergency access codes weren’t truly intended for this purpose, but a door was a door in any case. He hoped that the Adrass had not yet discovered the Kidann’s backdoor. More than that, he hoped that his family had taken to the lower city. That was the procedure in the eventuality that the palace was seized. The people of Taris owed much to the Kidann, or so his father told him. Travel among the denizens of the Empire had revealed much to Val in the two short years since his departure. The allegiances of the masses were not to be trusted, people were fickle and petty.  
“What’s the plan, kid?” Jae asked, notably concerned. That shook Val some, his uncle was not easily perturbed. “We’re going to get them out.” Val said, half ignoring his uncle’s query. In truth, Val did not have a plan, though, who could have planned for something like this? His home was burning and all that mattered was finding his family. Jae sighed, recognizing Val’s desperation. “That’s not a plan Val.” he assessed coldly.  
Val sensed his uncle’s intent. “We can’t leave them.” he said, knowing that the decision had already been made in his Uncle’s mind.  
“There’s too much we don’t know kid.” The veteran mercenary explained. “We don’t know where they are or even if they are still alive and uncaptured.” The older man mused. “I am not going to present the last free son of Kidann to these Mandans without at least the bare minimum of strategic knowledge.” Jae said with finality. Anger flared deep within Val’s panicked mind, giving him a momentary desire to exert his authority upon his Uncle. It passed quickly as he caught Jae’s eye, seeing the terrible grief that lay within.  
“Then we leave them? Come back with the nearest force and retake the planet?” Val said, looking down at the scarred jewel that had once been his home.  
Ships continued to flood in above the world, an armada of a size which the Empire had not amassed since the great expansion. It was terrifying to behold the power arrayed before him and even more terrible to realize that he could do nothing to stop it.  
Jae nodded, “We will return Val, I promise.” His uncle breathed, voice wavering as the older man’s mind imagined that day. Both men knew that it was to be a long wait, that the Empire for all of its power was not prepared for a conflict of this scale. Val wondered if word had reached Raeth, if fleets were marshaling for a valiant recapture of his home. They weren’t, he knew, it would be some weeks before a force would be brought to bear against the Mandan fleet and many more before they could break through.  
As ship after ship flooded the system, that day grew more distant. There were thousands now, of all class and size, many of which Val could imagine rivaling their Imperial equivalents. The bulbous hulls were laced with weapons batteries and, on the larger ships, hangar bays teeming with fighters.  
“How did they manage this?” Val wondered aloud, shock compelling his outburst.  
“They are a war-like culture to be sure,” Aella said, “but those ships were designed by other forces.” She said, giving voice to Val’s suspicions. This was the Shadowhand’s doing, though to what end Val could not discern.  
“Get us out of here.” Val said each word sticking to his tongue with a foul bile taste. He could not change what had happened here, but he could warn the Empire about the true threat. Whoever these Mandans were, they were merely puppets to the true masters behind the veil.  
“Jumping in 10.” Jae said, looking at his nephew, “We’ll bring the whole Empire down on them Val.” He added as the star lines grew and the galaxy gave way to the pulsating light of hyperspace.

They had dawdled too long, surrendering any advantage that may have come from quick and decisive action. Caution was the way of the Imperial Navy, a slow and deliberate distrust of the unknown and misunderstood exacerbated this further. In the minds of the Admiralty, only a few facts were certain, the foremost being the presence of a large and well-equipped fleet occupying an Imperial world. The second being the utter lack of any previous knowledge of their foe’s capabilities.  
Val stood beside Koorta as the ancient Admirals prattled, debating the “wisest” course of action. The Grandmaster at his side was of an entirely different nature, one that perplexed Val nearly as much as the Admiral’s debate frustrated him. Koorta was quiet, utterly serene as a storm of competing platitudes whirled around him. Whether he fielded some great internal debate or was simply disinterested with the proceedings, Val could not discern.  
He looked to Chiko, her face nearly void of emotion, but not cold, more stunned than anything. She’d said scarcely a word since Val had delivered the news, the two of them inseparable in the few days since his return. So too she had few words for Aella, whom had been sequestered with them in their shared apartment.  
Val had done his best to give them both distance as they processed everything, he was thankful for the bond that he shared with Chiko, as any distrust was soon banished, though in truth she was more relieved that he was okay than she was angry for the length of his absence.  
The room came to an abrupt silence as a door slid open and a lower officer spoke, “His Majesty, the Emperor.” The enthusiastic young man bellowed as the ancient monarch stumbled forward. He had aged greatly in so very short a time, a sickly pall upon the once cheerful guise that Val had seen a few short years before. Though some of that mirth remained, it was soured by an apparent sadness that Val recognized all too well.  
“My friends.” The Emperor spoke into the resounding silence of the gathering, “I am sorry for my tardiness but the people had to be reassured of our efforts.” The man said, laying his hands upon the table. A grim smile spread from the corners of his mouth as he began to speak, “Though in truth I have been told that my distinguished war council has not yet decided what those efforts are to be.”  
Val averted his eyes, fresh anger brewing as his Emperor spoke Val’s mind for him. The senior Admiral, a venerable Kuatan nobleman of the house Gefahl, spoke first, his deeply wrinkled face shaking with suppressed frustration. “Majesty we cannot rush blindly into conflict against an enemy we know nothing about.” The old man pleaded.  
“Neither shall we abandon my people, Admiral. With every hour that passes our people suffer under the cruel disregard of these Mandan.” The Emperor states plainly, his voice sure despite his obvious exhaustion. “We shall attack with every ship available to do so.” The Emperor commands, pitting the room to an uneasy quiet. The air rings with the Emperor’s declaration, the echoes growing more distant as the pall hangs.  
Koorta is the first to speak, “Perhaps you should explain the situation, Admiral.” His smile is vicious, knowing the Admiral’s folly. “I am certain his Eminence will be understanding of your abject failure.”  
Val may have smiled his own in less dire times, there was no love lost between the Admiralty and the Order, a rivalry traced back to the unification of the once rival worlds that were the predecessors of the Imperial seat. Kuat and Raeth, the Navy and the Order, though joined by treaty were as foreign to each other as they had ever been. Val would have relished the look on the Admiral’s face had it not held portent of the doom of his family.  
Gefahl’s lip quivered with rage as he turned to address his monarch. “My lord, the forces we have to spare are en route to a staging point at Corellia from which we will launch the counterattack to drive these scum back into the void.” His face fell as the inevitable was disclosed, “However, due to the wide dispersion of our forces and the overwhelming strength displayed by the enemy, we are unable to act until we can gather a force of sufficient size to…”  
Koorta did not wait for the Admiral to finish, shouting over the man, “How many years did I warn you of this Rousha? How many times did I stand before this council and tell you of what the gifted of my order foresaw?” Koorta unleashed what seemed to be a lifetime of resentment with each biting word. “It was only a matter of time until we encountered an enemy requiring a quick reaction fleet.” Koorta said, slamming his hand on the table, sending ripples through the holo-projection of the galaxy map.  
Gefahl turned pale as the words cascaded over him, the deluge overwhelming him. “My Lord, the breadth of the Empire demands that we spread our forces so, not all of our territories are as amenable as we should like them to be, as such, garrisons must be maintained to ensure that they do not rebel.” The Admiral explained, his voice still strong despite his appearance his true beliefs made evident. “Moreover, the cost of additional fleets would be damaging to our other pursuits, the reclamation of damaged worlds, establishment of new hyper lanes and the maintenance of trade routes.”  
Koorta was quick to silence him, “Perhaps if you took a more active effort to weed out the corruption you’ve allowed to infest your officer corps you might be able to maintain these pursuits at a reasonable expense.” Koorta said angrily.  
Though Val agreed, he found himself unable to revel in his Master’s victory. As he stood and watched these men and women, all of whom had been given the sacred trust of defending his home, bicker over ancient feuds, his heart began to burn with rage.  
“Who are you to talk of corruption?” Another Admiral yelled from the back of the room, “Many of your order appropriate Naval assets for their own familial quarrels and plots! Did you yourself not intervene on Taris grandmaster?” Val sought the speaker, a thin man with vicious ice-blue eyes. His white uniform betrayed him as the head of the ISB, Tellador Vane. “Even worse, behind you stands the daughter of Grom Adrass, the very turncoat who allowed Taris to be taken!”  
The room broke with roars of outrage and ascent as the factions devolved into chaotic argument. Val shivered with rage as the deepest and darkest urges tore at him. How did it come to this. He thought, assessing the room with fresh eyes, the red tint growing as blood coasted through him. He looked to Chiko, who had grown cold and distant as her shame was aired before the most powerful people in the Imperial Hierarchy. Through it all, the Emperor stood, motionless and quiet. It was the look in his eye that broke Val. It was despair.  
“There is no time for this.” Val said, his voice amplified as he drew unconsciously from the force, silencing the room. “The enemy will not wait for us to collect our forces. They know far more about our capabilities than we know of theirs.” Val said with certainty gained from experience and the insight gained from Aella’s reports. “When they locate the heart of our fleet, they will strike there, without hesitation.” Val said, “They may even know already.” This last declaration was merely an intuition, but not an unfounded one. It was clear that, to some degree, the shadowhand had already infiltrated the Imperial Hierarchy.  
Koorta wheeled on Val, his face equal measures of anger and curiosity. Gefahl’s was all disgust and dismissal, “Are we now to be lectured by this welp?” The Admiral said, the bile in his words acidic to the ear. Koorta didn’t deign to look at the Admiral as he responded. “Knight Kidann was the first to encounter this enemy and return to us along with a vital source of information.” Koorta allowed a small smile to touch the corners of his mouth, “He has also proven himself a most capable field commander and strategist.” The grandmaster said. “Who better to make such an assessment than he?”  
Val met his master’s eye, finding pride there.  
“What is this source?” Admiral Vane inquired, looking from Koorta to Val. “Moreover, why have you failed to disclose this information to the Bureau?” Val could sense Vane’s anger behind the veneer of placid procedure that the man used as a veil for his own personal indignation. Val quickly made his judgment of the man, a politician in all but uniform.  
“I have withheld nothing save for the identity of this source for the very same reason you have failed to proffer the identity of your own source on Taris, Tell.” Koorta said, turning back to face the man across the table. “The revelation of that identity would impose undue danger upon them and those close to them.” Val gave his master a quizzical look, Aella’s people were in no position to be threatened by the Empire, out in the beyond at the most remote edges of the galaxy, they had only the Shadowhand to fear. Then it struck him, Val was close to her. He had shared his mind with her in much the same way he had with Chiko, though to a far lesser degree. Moreover, the revelation of her identity as a former agent of a rebel state would cause quite an uproar among the ranks of the ISB.  
Koorta’s platitude was enough to silence Vane for the moment, but Gefahl was quick to fill that void. “What would you have us do? Our current arrayed force is not enough to contend with the Mandan fleet above Taris. Projections of a frontal assault have been made and dismissed, the casualty estimates are disastrous.”  
Chiko has broken free of her silence, reaching out to Val. I have a plan. Her thoughts echoed across his mind as images began to develop along with them. They will not trust me, so you must tell them. She commanded, when the entirety of the stratagem was communicated.  
It had taken only an instant, the information less shared than copied between them. Even so, Val hesitated, his own doubts souring the apparent brilliance of her proposal. What if it fails? He thought, knowing she would be listening. What other choice is there? Was her sole response. She was right, it was the best that they had and there was no time to wait. He cleared his throat and addressed the room. “My lords and ladies, if you’ll permit me, I have a plan that will even the odds at a minimal risk to our current forces.” he began waiting for any sign of approval. He was surprised when the Emperor took up his cause, “We will hear you, Knight Kidann.”


	17. 17

The plan had proceeded exactly as they desired thus far. A strike force of fighters struck the Mandan fleet above Taris two days prior, destroying a cruiser before fleeing through hyperspace back to the Imperial fleet assembled at Skorrupon. They lingered in the system long enough to goad the enemy into a pursuit, the small size of the fighter contingent would be viewed as an insult to the prowess of the Mandan clans as outlined by Aella. Her information had been accurate, with the Mandans committing one cruiser to the pursuit for every fighter the Empire had sent to the raid on Taris.   
“They pride themselves in unproportionate responses to threats from their rivals.” As she had described. Val had been little more than a mouthpiece to the two women’s plans, merely supplementing with slight alterations that were minor in the grand scheme. That he could not be more vocal of the true architects’ prowess bothered him greatly. Though, he thought, it will spare them the consequences should we fail.  
It will not fail. Was Chiko’s immediate response as she poured over the viewscreen, accounting for each element of the trap that the Mandan fleet now rushed toward. There was a heaviness in his gut, an abiding ache like acid that would not abate. What if…  
It was a phantom that had harried him day and night. The perilous disposition of the Empire, the mistakes made in the management of its shockingly limited resources and now the impending battle that risked nearly a quarter of those same resources, all threatened to lay him low with nausea. Had his family not been held in the balance, Val May have given in to that sickness. His home suffered under the rule of this enemy and that of their benefactors.  
The Shadowhand had yet to reveal themselves. Aella’s stories had fed an obsession in Val that grew with every moment that his home was occupied. There were confirmed reports now, from those that had fled Taris and escaped the reach of the Mandan fleet, of the atrocities committed against those that resisted. Tae Kidann, the stories said, was held now by the War-Marshall within Kidann palace. Worse, in Val’s mind, was the betrayal of the Adrass, whom had by many accounts been responsible for the fall of the planetary shield. It was all but confirmed now, though the confusion of the battle had left enough doubt to allow Chiko to operate uncontested upon the bridge of the Triumphant.  
She had never been one to show her feelings in the presence of strangers. Her face matched those of the officers surrounding her, focused and tinged with a small amount of concern. Victory depended on so many factors, most of which were now beyond control. It was all accounting now, the enemy’s force strength, the number of friendly ships that had answered the summons in time and the dissemination of the battle plan to new arrivals.  
There were twelve capital ships in the force that Val would classify as battle-ready, full capability. The remaining twenty-six ships of the force were in poor condition, their crews either fresh from the academy or otherwise crewed by naval reserve personnel. These were, after all, ships pulled from the available reserve, some of which had not seen conflict in at least four decades. Much of Val’s contribution to this effort was in coordinating the short term retraining of these crews. There had never been enough time to make them entirely competent in their posts, but little experience is better than no experience.  
If given any other choice, Val would not have engaged with his current force. If there were an alternative, Val would have spent the next six months retraining his crews and refitting his ships for the threat they now faced. There were so many “ifs” and “with this I would haves” that ran through Val’s mind as he placed the game pieces on the board. Each ship carried thousands of crew, pilots and in many cases, small teams of Knights. They were integral to the battle plan, the true crux on which everything would be decided.  
“Fighters inbound.” A young ensign said, her voice calm and professional. It would be a long day for her, as the internal comm officer, she would be relaying orders throughout the ship at a pace even Val found daunting. It was a position Val would rather have seen handled by a droid, but Droids could be tampered with. As if humanoids can’t... Val thought morbidly. It was one of the most difficult techniques to employ, highly discouraged by most members of the order, but it was part of their education for defensive purposes.  
It was a line he had crossed before, justified by the eminent threat posed to the Empire. Breaking the will of another being was not a pleasant experience. It was invasive and painful for both parties. There was an exchange of emotion, memory and sensation that Val found overwhelming and revolting. He shuddered as he remembered the feeling.  
The fighters dropped out of hyperspace and made best speed for the Allegiant. The Grandmaster stood at the center of the bridge, his gaze distant, as if he could see the approaching ships. In a way, he could see them. His master’s power was truly terrifying. Koorta was, in some respects, already fighting the coming battle, gaining insights that would shape its course.  
It wouldn’t be long, perhaps an hour at the most, before the enemy arrived. Val ran the preparation list through his mind again and again. What could he do now? How could he shift the balance further in their favor? He had begun to sweat, the cloth beneath his armor clinging uncomfortably to him. Eventually his eyes became blank as he stared ahead, past his master toward the projected enemy ingress point.  
Chiko was at his side now, though they had little to say. They understood each other, there was no need for conversation. He allowed himself a small gesture, unnecessary, but, he felt, important. He turned to her, gaining her attention with the unexpected movement. He smiled at her, a promise that, despite all that had happened, his feelings remained as they had. When she smiled in return, all of the strain that Val had accumulated melted away. Though few things were certain and the odds were bleak, this was sure.  
“They are here.” Koorta said, turning away from the viewport toward his officers. “The bridge is yours, Captain.” The grandmaster commanded, striding past Captain Derrosk briskly as he moved to the tactical display at the rear. Derrosk did not hesitate, moving to her post and stringing off orders at a calm and precise pace. “Power to shields and weapons, propulsion offline.” She said as the first enemy ship dropped into view. It was a light cruiser, likely equipped with the fastest variant of hyperdrive the Mandan possessed. In this particular case, it would be to their detriment, as Val watched the first Imperial fighters close with the cruiser.  
Thus far, limited experience had shown that this was the primary advantage they held in a fair fight. The Mandan starfighters were simply not constructed to the same standard of the Z-series. Moreover, the Mandan doctrine seemed to eschew support craft formations entirely. Mandan starfighter formations were entirely defensive in nature, safeguarding the larger capital ships. Unfortunately, those capital ships carried a massive array of powerful turbo lasers and torpedo bays.  
It was not that Imperial ships lacked the same armament, it was a simple difference in priorities. Ships like the Triumphant, true battlecruisers designed to engage other capital ships in a brawl, those were the exceptions. Luckily, the plan made use of the fleet’s strengths. They would, to the best of their ability, deny the Mandan the kind of fight they would strive for. This battle would be won by the starfighter squadrons and boarding regiments, or not at all.  
“Gold group engaged.” The squadron leader stated. Val had played a part in designating his squadron as the first. They weren’t the best squadron, in either training or personality, but they could be spared in the case of disaster. Such was the arithmetic of war. Flashes of light shone in the distance as deflector shields flared and sparked under the strain of oncoming weapons fire.  
Three archaic Emissary-class Light cruisers were locked in direct engagement with the Mandan cruiser. These were the depreciated ancestor of the Observer-class, the most common class of cruiser in the Imperial fleet. Like their successor, they were intended to facilitate starfighter operations and boarding craft, but carried a comparatively light armament load.  
The enemy’s deflectors failed within thirty seconds of engagement start. Within five minutes, multiple gaping holes had formed across its hull from the sustained barrage of overwhelming fire. It was to the testament of the Mandan engineering corps that the vessel had withstood such punishment.  
An officer hurried to Derrosk’s side speaking in a hushed tone. Derrosk grimaced before turning and walking to the tactical display. Her face was calm, but Val could sense her fear and frustration. “My lord, it appears the approaching fleet is larger than we anticipated.” The Captain said plainly. “There are four additional ships in addition to the twelve cruisers reported by black squadron.” She said with a sigh of exasperation. “Commander Fel assures me that his count was accurate, but the hyperspace probes are rarely incorrect.”  
The news was thoroughly unwelcome, but not unanticipated. Val spoke first, blurting the first question to come to his mind, “Do we have a make of these new ships?” It was a genuine concern. The Mandan, according to Aella, had a wide arsenal of speciality vessels sporting exotic weapons. These had, to Val’s best knowledge, yet to be revealed.  
“No. We can not determine what, if any, difference there are between the vessels.” Derrosk replied shortly before turning back to the battle. The Mandan cruiser was failing now, unable to return fire, its reactors breached or destroyed. Val thought of requesting rescue teams be dispatched, if only to gain possible prisoners. It was for naught, as the ship detonated at its midsection then broke apart, spewing forth its insides to float endlessly in the void. He could not help but to grimace. Though they were his enemy, to be lost to the cold dark for all eternity was a fate he wished upon noone. He hoped that none had survived the cataclysmic explosion only to drift hopelessly until claimed by a slower death. Perhaps they may be saved after the battle.  
It was quiet again, only the dull hum of the ship and the hushed conversations of its crew. Val watched as the three Emissary-class cruisers returned to the larger formation. Some bore scars of the battle, thin lines of vapor trailing as they moved to rendezvous. As reports flooded in, a grim picture began to develop. Though no ship had been severely damaged, they had not been unscathed in what should have been a nearly flawless contest. The Mandan ships packed a significant punch and doubt began to grow in Val’s mind as to if this battle could be won. They still outnumbered the enemy, they still maintained the advantage in starfighter numbers and quality. If they succeeded, it would be close, dreadfully, terribly close. Chiko was beside him, her aura was calm, committed to the course ahead and the cost that would accompany it.  
Be still… wait. His mind told him, but the greater passions called for action; to alter the plan, to reset the board before it was too late. He was a spectator to a horror he had helped construct. It wasn’t fear, that ebbed dully in his chest but did not overtake his sense. It was a helplessness that he could not escape. He could see the oncoming fleet in his mind’s eye, could behold the burning hulks of the Emperor’s ships twisting in a field of their own wreckage, the bodies of their crews torn and broken amidst.  
Wait. His conscious mind begged as his heart threatened to seize control. Had that voice always been there? Val could remember a time when he didn’t have these urges, when he ruled his passions. Was it Chiko? A byproduct of his tie to her, a sharing of innate characteristics foreign to their individual selves? It could have been, perhaps. The darker thought occurred to him after that. It had always been there. It spoke to him. Had he awakened some part of himself? Was this restlessness so benign as he believed?  
The first of the Mandan fleet dropped into view suddenly, scrambling fighters as they did so. It was one of the larger cruisers, a behemoth studded with blisters of turbo lasers, cannons and torpedo launchers in the hundreds. The swept-wing fighters comprising its defense screen surged forward to the extent of its weapons range and held formation, waiting to receive the Empire’s challenge. The rest of the fleet followed on in short order, arranging themselves in their battle formation.  
The Behemoth was at the center, two smaller cruisers at its flank comprising the first of four battle groups of three ships each. 12 ships. Val thought, panic growing in his chest as he turned to the tactical display. “Cloaked cruisers?” Val whispered to himself, a knot forming in his gut. Aella’s eyes widened as she looked at him. She hadn’t known, or at the very least, was a good liar. Regardless, it was the hand they had been dealt and they would now need to play it.  
“I can sense them.” Koorta said with a grimace, pausing briefly, “It is too faint to track.” He said after a moment of concentration. Val didn’t let his face show the desperation he felt. Cloaked craft would sew untold chaos if they were not dealt with quickly. A plan began to form as he stared blankly into the light of the display. The flickering light was captivating, the ships bright blue nearing white surrounded by a sea of darker blues. Flickering.  
“We need a very large explosion.” Val said suddenly, before turning to Chiko, conversing silently with her. She smiled dimly, understanding his ploy. “A blast bright enough to scramble the receptors on the ships for a few seconds.” He said.  
Koorta looked at him for a moment, then turned to Derrosk. “Captain?” He asked, his question implicit.  
Derrosk nodded gravely, “We have something, but it’s not something we can fire from the torpedo bay, it will need to be placed and armed for remote detonation.” The Captain said, her description making the nature of the weapon quite clear in Val’s mind. Either they were going to detach a drive core and rig it to explode, or the Triumphant was carrying a planet killer. Neither eventuality was particularly cheerful in Val’s mind.  
“Enemy fleet closing into attack formation Captain.” Said the ensign from just behind the helm, her voice as calm and professional as could be expected in the situation. Derrosk sighed with consternation as she spoke, “I’ll task a shuttle to carry the charge but we’ll need to divert fighters to defend it, which are now in unfortunately low supply.”  
“I’ll do it.” Chiko said, beating Val by instants. “Me too.” He said smiling at his love. The third voice was not one Val expected. “I will assist.” Aella said, drawing eyes from around the table.  
She was steady, her eyes meeting each of theirs with calm assertion of her desire to help. “I’m repayment for the generous treatment you have afforded me.” She said, bowing her head slightly before meeting their gaze again. Koorta smiled, “That’s three.” He said, turning back to Val. “Do you think you can find a fourth?”  
Val thought of it for a moment, then smiled as an answer came to him. “I know just the man for the job.” He said as the first shots rang out across the great distance between the opposing fleets. As he strode from the bridge with Chiko and Aella at his side, Val caught glimpses of the great calamity unfolding. It would only be a matter of time before the hammer fell upon Triumphant.

“I hate flying.” Teiron said as the canopy lowered above him with a mechanical whir. Val smiled broadly at his friend, now reluctantly dressed neatly into his flight suit. Val couldn’t fix that for him, but this is where the Empire needed the ISB agent. He keyed his comm as his own canopy descended.  
“You’ll be fine, just stay in formation and bug out when we do.” Val said reassuringly as he ran through his final checks. Everything was in order as per his instruments. He began feeding power to his propulsors and the craft began to rise from the deck. Chiko was close behind, with Aella and Teiron lifting just behind. Val flew above the cargo shuttle carrying the charge, keying his comm. “Spec-5, follow us out and keep your shields at maximum, it’s going to be madness out there.” As if to emphasize that point, the ship was rocked by a blast that could only be turbolaser fire.  
“Copy lead.” The pilot said tentatively. This was no hardened starfighter jock, Val realized far too late to change the circumstance. It was a terrified young nobleman behind the controls of the shuttle, likely no older than Val had been during his first battle. Four years had passed since that day on distant, occupied Taris. Val caught a glimpse of himself in the canopy, his face barely recognizable. One moment he’d been a boy staring into his bedroom mirror and in the incomprehensible blur from that moment to the present, that boy had been banished. How can anyone prepare for times like these? The truth, Val realized, is that no one could be prepared.  
He led the procession, though Chiko was the better pilot. They broke free of the hangar, gliding through the environmental shielding into the whirling chaos of the battle beyond. They were at the periphery of the maelstrom, but eddies of violence erupted around them. Starfighters danced about each other trading vicious streams of cannon fire as concussion missiles illuminated the infinite darkness, each eruption of flame a testament to a life ended. Mercy was rarely afforded in this realm, though less due to personal choice and more to the stakes involved. Whereas an opponent defeated on the ground may be subdued, as long as a pilot retained some control of their craft they posed a threat.  
Val watched as a trio of Imperial fighters unleashed combined fire onto a single stricken Mandan craft which evaporated under the sustained barrage. He was close enough to see the pilot fall free, the strange armor and helmet design carved into relief against the distant star. Val hoped the pilot had died instantly, rather than suffer amongst the wreckage field quickly forming between the two contesting fleets. The savage beauty of the sight would do little to assuage the agony of death by asphyxiation. Better to blast yourself. He mused with a grimace.  
“I’ve never seen anything like this…” Teiron said, Val imagining the officer’s mouth agape in awe. Nor had Val, nor had anyone in their generation, this scale of war had not been seen since the conquest of Taris, his great forefathers’ crusade. Lessons lost. He thought, though it was not entirely his own. Chiko’s mind reached for his own, a calm and cool place among the battlefield. It would have been disturbing to Val had he not known her nature, but he did innately. This was the war she had been forged for. Forged for? Val wondered, a small cloying doubt beginning to wriggle at the back of his consciousness.  
His deflector shields whined as a burst of fire struck across them, sending the bolts of energy skittering into the void beyond. The blade-like form of a Mandan fighter passed only meters above his canopy, an emblem depicting a golden serpent of some design inlaid over a field of black. Patterns like that of the same serpent crossed the entirety of the hull. Val broke without a word, chasing the craft. Chiko was at his side, accelerating to overtake him. I have him. She said without speaking. A part of Val wanted to pursue, to avenge himself, but was quieted by his better instincts. She would accomplish that for him.  
He proceeded on the established route, Chiko’s fighter moving off to engage the enemy. She held the advantage, the pilot was merely playing for time. Val anticipated the next attack, a shiver of distrust compelling him to jag wildly upward. Another gout of blazing energy bolts sizzled by, further than the previous but yet too close for comfort. This one he resolved to deal with as it was likely the second member of the prior fighter’s group. “Defend the shuttle.” Valcommanded, breaking hard to pursue the fleeing fighter. His assumptions were confirmed a moment later when he closed with the Mandan, the fighter bearing the same emblem he had seen on the first.  
He did not hesitate to engage, sending his own deluge of cannon fire into the rear of his opponent’s craft. One bolt broke through, burning a near hole into the craft and cutting off the energy supply to the propulsors. The craft began to list lazily, maintaining its momentum and revealing the further damage within. The bolt had burned through the cockpit and the pilot within the remains floating freely with the craft, forever to travel into the vast emptiness. Val shuddered, killing had never felt so impersonal as this. Worse than that, he had felt a thrill, a pang of elation at his victory.  
“Val we’ve got more on us!” Teiron yelled into the comms, forcing Val to break left and search for the threats. There were two more craft, one chasing Teiron while the other fled from him. It was to the ISB officer’s credit that he’d managed to gain the advantage on one of his foes, Val could not have expected better from the man. He accelerated to assist, switching his targeting computer on. The micro-mech behind his seat gave him a reassuring “wootooo” has he did so. The droid was manufactured for this purpose, its entire being devoted to the calculations necessary to give the craft’s Concussion missiles the required guidance.  
The soft trill of the droid gave way to a “lock” tone as its calculations concluded. Val launched the missile, watching the cylinder separate from the recessed tube on his right wing. The missile blazed forward, arcing to meet the Mandan bladewing as Teiron juked wildly in all directions. Deflector shields would do little to deter this weapon. The pursuit fighter was forced to break, initiating a series of erratic evasive rolls and loops as they blazed cannon fire toward the pursuing missile. They were so caught up in the desperate evasion that they had no awareness left to anticipate Val’s next attack. The fighter was ripped apart by a sustained burst of cannon fire that was punctuated by the missile’s impact.  
Val checked Teiron, who maintained his own pursuit admirably though he was unable to destroy his target. Val wanted to assist him, but a more pressing concern arrived as he observed the shuttle. Two more Mandan fighters had arrived, moving to assault the unguarded craft that now returned a pitiful defensive fire from its turrets. Val accelerated to his craft’s maximum, his body sinking further into the seat as he fought to retain control. The first craft broke left to meet him, the two opponents rapidly closing toward each other. Val keyed his concussion missiles, but they were closing too fast. Switching to his cannons, Val immediately fired, sending a ceaseless stream of bolts toward his foe. Green-yellow bolts answered in return, sizzling past his canopy within an arms-length. His deflector shields failed but Val was committed now, the enemy craft approaching without any indication of fear or hesitation. They would ram into each other within heartbeats.  
A bolt broke through his opponent’s shield, tearing through the left engine of the fighter and sending it into a spin. Val did not pursue, the shuttle ahead now under continuous fire by the undamaged foe. He wasn’t quick enough. The concussion missiles could not get a lock without endangering the shuttle. Val screamed helplessly into the void as a shot connected with the shuttle, sending the craft spinning, trailing flames and atmosphere. The Mandan fighter came about again, lining up for a final run to destroy the shuttle utterly. Val keyed his comm, but said nothing, there was no escape, no maneuver to be made to avoid oncoming death for the craft.  
Then the enemy fighter erupted in a gout of blue flame as a concussion missile struck it from the flank. Aella’s fighter streaked through the flames and debris before coming around quickly and forming with the shuttle. Val breathed again, letting himself relax slightly before taking the lead position again and keying his comm. “Are you alright 5?” He asked the shuttle pilot. The younger man’s voice came through as shockingly calm and collected, almost trance-like. “Yeah lead, we’re okay, we’ve patched the breach.” He said, as the shuttle limped forward, flames extinguished.  
Teiron returned to form a few moments later without a word, Chiko forming a few moments later. They were rapidly closing with the deployment point. Val expected to be engaged again, but nothing materialized. He turned to observe the distant battle, seeing that the Triumphant was directly engaged. Val winced, if he had been in control of the cloaked ships, this would have been his moment to strike. He keyed his comm, “Arm that charge, the Triumphant is engaged.” He stated, his meaning implicit. He could sense that Chiko felt the same intuition as he.  
Within moments the charge was armed and exiting the shuttle hatch. The detonation could be triggered remotely by any member of the squadron with a backup countdown of two minutes. Val’s intention was to detonate the charge as soon as they were out of the blast radius. The squadron began to pull away at speed. “Damn it!” Came the voice of the shuttle pilot. Val turned to see the craft beginning to spin, it’s engines having failed. He swore under his breath, cursing their luck. “5, can you fix it?” Val asked, knowing it was a long shot. They didn’t have time to repair serious damage, as the seconds passed, Val made a decision.  
“All of you get clear, I’m going to boost the shuttle.” Val said, pulling his fighter around to the rear of the craft. He moved slowly, touching the front of his craft to the rear of the larger shuttle. As he did so, he slowly increased power to his propulsors, accelerating both craft. There was less than a minute to go now and a significant distance to cover. Val shuddered with every metallic groan of his craft as he continued to accelerate toward maximum speed.  
“You’re going to fry your propulsors!” Chiko exclaimed, having ignored his previous command. She was right of course, his craft’s propulsion systems were not meant for a load of this mass. Luckily all he needed was to get them out of the detonation radius, if they failed after that, no matter. He tried to ignore the alarm blaring, warning of failing integrity as he pushed his craft beyond its limits. It was worse than he’d thought, he realized. The reactor was failing, the cooling unit unable to cope with the demand. Whether a design flaw or merely the natural result of such a maneuver, it did not really matter, his reactor would overheat within moments.  
It would have been so easy to leave the shuttle, so simple to detach himself and continue on his way. Easy in the moment perhaps. Val thought as heat began to overtake him. I love you. He thought, knowing she would be listening. The reactor was sure to detonate at any moment now, the heat within the canopy was threatening to melt through his armor and flight suit. A glow settling over the periphery of his vision, too hot to breathe. They would make it, just a few moments more and they would be clear.  
A light like nothing Val had ever seen encompassed him and he knew that they were too late. Goodbye. He thought, feeling the panic and grief leave him. It had been close, perhaps he could shield the shuttle from the worst of it. A vain hope that his sacrifice would not be wasted.  
He was buffeted by some unknown force, thrown like a rag doll as he and his fighter were pulled suddenly away from the shuttle. He turned, seeing the oncoming destruction of the blast wave as it closed with him. He was moving away from the shuttle, now painted in relief against the oncoming swirling energy cloud. The shuttle pilot screamed as the wave overtook them, the metal boiling in nanoseconds as Val watched the ship evaporate.  
How was this possible? What had pulled him away. No. Val thought, anger boiling within him as the now distant destruction faded. It was Chiko, of course. Her craft came to rest beside his, her face visible through the canopy, impassive but for the tears that leaked from the corners of her eyes. She had made a decision for him and though some part of Val knew it had been the right call, he could not reconcile his feelings. I never asked their name. He thought. Was that some cynical part of him? Had he not deigned to do so because of the chance they’d not return?  
Val stared into the void where the shuttle had been and seethed in his failure. It had not been wasted, he knew, seeing the bulbous forms of the stealth ships floating powerless in that void, the reactive plating scorched by the blast’s heat. Already bolts of energy were arcing toward the powerless hulks, striking them without reply, tearing gaping maws within. Val watched this unfold with a mix of horror and elation. Surveying the entirety of the battlespace he saw the destruction unfolding around him. Burning ships, Imperial and Mandan, whirled aflame, disgorging their crews and contents in an ever growing debris cloud. The explosive ordnance and power cells within each of these behemoths detonating at random intervals, sending yet more debris twirling into the void.  
The Empire had dealt more damage, retaining more active ships that now unleashed ceaseless salvos of fire upon the surviving, trapped Mandan vessels. Victory, came the thought, unbidden. It was a victory, certainly. A costly, messy and contemptible victory. How could he bear this? How could they continue like this. All elation faded as he sat in his powerless fighter, watching the battle in its dying minutes. The last Mandan cruiser blazed as six Imperial ships, including the Triumphant rained fire upon it, tearing it to shreds of burned, twisted metal. Then, with a final burst of fire from the Triumphant’s turbolasers, the cruiser split apart at the midline and went silent. Victory had been achieved and Val breathed deeply as he reached for Chiko, for the one truth that remained to him.


	18. 18

Aerran Toth was the picture of an Imperial patriarch. A member of the Raethan governing assembly, Toth had served the Emperor with quiet distinction throughout the entirety of his life. The man was so very much like Val’s own father, a kind and compassionate statesmen whom was quick to smile through the pazaak-face he erected in his public demeanor. Val did his best to maintain his composure as he sat in this man’s house and delivered the news of his son’s death. Isrann Toth had been awarded an honorary knighthood for his part in Val’s mission to eliminate the stealth ships. Isrann Toth, a youth less than a week out of the cadets, volunteering for a mission he had no place in. Seventeen years was not enough time, not nearly enough not for Ben Kidann nor for Isrann Toth.  
Val delivered the news through gritted teeth and shaking voice. “There was no time to search for the right person-” Val said, trying to look the man in the eyes as he spoke, “-only time to ask for a volunteer.” He added, the effort to remain composed was overwhelming. Toth’s grief was evident, that of his wife Daeva all the more so. She held the Kyber crystal Val had given to them, an award from the Order’s store to mark Isrann’s sacrifice.  
Aerran could not meet his eye, staring at the floor as Val spoke. “He saved innumerable lives.” Val began, the truth was far more complicated, but the essence was there. “Perhaps the Empire itself, Lord Toth.” Val added, again remembering the stakes of the battle. It had been all too narrow of a victory, but a victory nonetheless. The Mandan fleet had been halted and for the moment the Imperial and Mandan fleets held their respective positions as each side formulated their designs for revenge.  
“I have other children.” Toth said suddenly, interrupting Val before he could speak again. The man looked at the ground still, his face twisting. “I love each of them dearly, with all that I have in me.” The older man said tears beginning to well in his eyes. “Isrann was our miracle.” Toth said, his voice uneven, Daeva collapsing into him, racking with deep, guttural sobs of anguish. “He was so sick as a child, so brittle and…” Toth began to weep. “We never thought he would join the navy, it didn’t seem in his nature.” Toth breathed between sobs.  
“Forgive me.” The man said, collecting himself in a way only a statesman could. Val was sick, his face pale with cold sweat running across him beneath the neat and formal suit that he wore. Forgive me. Val thought, a pang of nausea narrowly suppressed as he thought of the implications. Why had this boy volunteered? What spurred him to follow some fool into a death trap? More than that, why was such pain inflicted upon a family like this.  
“It should have been me.” Val said, speaking his mind. “It was my plan, my mission, sir.” Val said. The other man grimaced through the tears. “I hope you won’t begrudge my wish that it had been.” He said, allowing anger to flare within his countenance for a brief but intense instant. “He was my boy.” Toth said, as if needing to explain to Val, his face returning to the aggrieved pall that would doubtless remain for a long vigil. It turned his stomach. Val stood without a word and made for the door, having inflicted enough pain on these people. Mercifully, they made no effort to stop him.  
Chiko awaited him by the speeder they had purchased. He took the controls as she climbed in, pulling the craft above the estate and out into the scenic fields, rivers and valleys that comprised this region of Raeth. There was a hill on the horizon, overlooking a lake and surrounding forest leading into snow-capped mountains in the far distance. Val made a course toward it accelerating to max speed to reach it as soon as possible. “I need to be alone a while.” His throat tightening as he spoke. They had not been separated since the return to Raeth. She understood, of course, as he understood her. Though she felt some guilt in her actions, she did not regret them. Isrann had been, after all, a stranger. Val could not begrudge her that, not rationally.  
“I will wait for you.” She said, not looking at him, her eyes scanning the horizon. Though the battle had ended many days prior, the lingering effects still remained. In Val it manifested as a lingering tiredness, but in Chiko as an arousal, a hyper-awareness. It was a result of her upbringing, something seared into her bones from the day she took her first steps. Val remembered the dark room and the eyes of red staring back at him and into her. He shuddered, though the warm noon star shone down on him. The craft coming to a stop at the top of the hill.  
He leapt from the craft, drawing on the force to hasten him. Chiko stood and watched him as he walked into the grove of trees that stretched on before him toward the far end of the hill. He wouldn’t make her wait long, but he needed the distance. He drew upon the force again, moving deeper into the garden-like tailored perfection of the forest. It was beautiful of course, as all things on Raeth were. The falsehood of it all nagged at the back of his mind. Look what could be accomplished when the creative energy of a people could be harnessed. What had Val spent his energy on? He had other dreams once, to follow in his father’s footsteps, to become a statesman and raise a family in peace. There is no peace. He thought, slowing now, deep within the heartwood of the grove, where the high above star peaked in pinpricks through the overhead canopy.  
No peace but the one you make for yourself. He countered, the dichotomy of his heart and mind combatting within him. The galaxy marched to war now, his home trodden under by a foe far beyond his ability to contest. He was a warrior in that conflict, trained to defend and uphold the Empire’s ideals, its people. How far he’d come from that wounded, angry boy he’d been. I did this to kill her. He remembered, the emotions and sensations flooding back to him, forcing him to stop. He was tired now, having drawn on the force too heavily, neglecting his own body’s limits. This was as good of a place as any, and so he sat beneath the canopy above and closed his eyes.  
The wind whipped through the branches above, a cooling breeze stealing through its thinnest points to caress his face. The smell of flowers lingered on that breeze, a menagerie of scents, cloying and sharp along with them. He breathed slowly, his mind straying from one sensation to another. He tasted the wind, the humidity and sweetness of spring. The coolness of the wind gave way as a ray of sunlight crept through the trees, warming him momentarily before disappearing behind the shroud again. A rustle of branches betrayed some high-up avian, its cooing a sign that the forest itself had forgotten him now. With his inner eyes open, he flitted from one creature to another. Swarms of small insects crawled in regiment back toward their nests, carrying a bounty that would see them into the future while small rodents hid in their burrows.  
It was chaos, a whirlwind of activity and stimulus that danced around him in a great discordant song. This was life, this was function without form or reason. In each small creature a spark, in each breath a new beginning. Had Isrann felt this? Had Ben known the breadth of all things? He had lingered too long, losing some part of himself, a name he had known himself by, a form that encompassed his being. He was Val, he was a part of this chorus, not some observer. He had a part to play.  
Consciousness returned to him, the setting of the star long past on the horizon. It was dark now, the sounds of the forest unnerving. There were no predators on Raeth, but some primordial part of him yet retained a mistrust of such circumstances. He drew his saber, igniting it and holding it above his head so that the blue-white light could illuminate his path.  
“Val!” came her voice, distant and full of concern. He realized then that he could not feel her. Without intending to do so, he had closed himself off to her. Panic struck him as he fought to regain what he had lost. He ran toward her voice, stumbling a few times as he did so. “Chiko!” He shouted in return, his mind reaching for her, grasping for that connection he had drawn on, the last reminder of home.  
He broke into a clearing, stumbling over a fallen tree as he did so. He made his best effort to recover, but slammed into the soft earth below face-first. His lightsaber fell from his hand, deactivating as it did and clattering into the brush beyond. He cursed, fumbling in the darkness for a moment before he heard the sound of oncoming footsteps through the brush. “Val!” Chiko yelled in the exact instant that she ran into him at full speed. Unfortunately for Val, her full speed was considerable and the two of them cartwheeled into the darkness. When Val regained control of himself, laying on his back with the wind knocked out of him, he cursed again, though his voice gave no sound to it.  
“Chiko…” he breathed through the pain in his abdomen, more a whisper than he intended. His head was ringing slightly and so he could not place her reply of “Val…” among the sounds of the forest around them. His legs were slow to answer him and so he crawled on hands and knees toward his best estimate of her position. He instead ran into a tree head-first cursing a third time before adjusting his course. “As you can see-” he began with a chuckle, “-I have attuned myself to nature.” Her laugh was raspy, pained, the injury of her fall obviously comparable to his own. He moved toward that sound, now clearly ahead of him.  
His hands reached her first, the warmth shocking against the cold of the earth below. She laughed again, “Watch yourself sir.” She said, as Val realized where his hands had fallen. He laughed, wheezing with pain as he fell onto his back beside her. He stared up at the leaves above, only visible with the moonlight that shone through in pinpricks, an illusion like that of the night sky beyond. He breathed heavily, his chest and abdomen still aggrieved by the injury done to them. He put that aside, “Are you alright?” Val asked, making an effort to control his lungs.  
“Probably just bruises.” She replied chuckling softly, “Sorry I ran into you.” She added. Val grinned, though she couldn’t see it. “I’m not.” He replied with his eyes searching above for some break in the canopy. They laid in silence for a while, their breathing slowing over time. Val wished he could see her face, but the darkness around them prevented that. He remembered his discarded weapon and groaned, “Damn it.” he said, breaking the silence. Chiko shifted, getting closer to him as if to check him, “Are you hurt?” she asked, her concern evident. Val laid a hand on hers as she reached for him. “No, but we’ll be conducting a search for my lightsaber when dawn comes.” He said with a laugh. “You clumsy fool.” she replied, laughing uproariously, silencing the forest around them. He loved that sound more than anything, it was too rare for her, its essence so pure. He basked in it, joining her to prolong its presence.  
Eventually, silence returned, her head came down to rest on his shoulder, her hand across his waist, clinging to him. The night grew quiet, the wind whistling through the trees as even the animals drifted into slumber. They spoke intermittently, smalltalk about places and events they had witnessed in their time apart. Val spoke of his uncle, of Aella and his visit home. Chiko was quiet for the latter, allowing him to explain his worries. She understood him, she shared in that concern. What does it matter now? He thought. Their families were lost behind the veil of the Mandan fleet. They were not subject to the opinions of those whom would not understand what they held between each other. It was precious beyond compare, Val realized. There will be a reckoning. The thought came, unbidden from the recesses of his mind. Nothing so precious can survive.  
He damned those thoughts as his lips met hers. A reckoning was on the horizon regardless. Amongst all the pain, anguish and terror that approached, what was one more price to be paid? For this moment of peace Val would have faced any challenge. Moreover, he knew, so too would she. Nothing could last, but in that grove beneath the false stars above, they had found peace, as brief as it would be.

“The enemy has besieged Agamar.” The High Admiral, Torcius Hart declared with pointed anger. Koorta stood to the Admiral’s right, his face passive and his eyes scanning from face to face. Admiral Hart was very much like the grandmaster, which was why Koorta had proposed the man to head the Navy following the resignation of Admiral Gefahl. Hart was Kuatan nobility in much the same cloth as Gefahl, but whereas Gefahl had used the navy to further his career and expand his family’s prestige, Hart had served in quiet competent humility, crawling through the ranks despite the political maneuvering of his peers.  
Now, Hart was in charge and cursed every officer in the room for the state of their respective commands. It was not entirely their fault of course, the Empire was in no capacity prepared for a war of this magnitude. Yet, an example had to be made, a new precedent set with all of the expectations that accompanied that. Hart was left to rebuild a force that had lost its teeth while also combatting a superior foe. Val did not envy him.  
Koorta turned to Val and spoke softly, “Finally.” He said, a smile of satisfaction touching his lips. Val smiled his own, as discreetly as he could. Hart took his seat at the table, allowing each attendant to follow suit. These were the highest officers in the Imperial Military assembled from throughout the Empire with the exception of those engaged in ongoing battles. Agamar was the center of current attention, but across every peripheral hyper lane the Mandans conducted raids and probing strikes against Imperial outposts.  
“Due to the abhorrent state of our standing fleets we are unable to conduct effective counter-assaults into enemy space.” Hart stated plainly, his dark face growing darker behind a bleached beard of Kuatan fashion. “Thus I am forced to buy time for you fine nobles to reconstitute this force into something worthy of its prestige!” He said, ensuring to meet the eye of every man and woman in the room. Val did not flinch from his gaze, though he did hide his prior smile.  
“It will take half a year to train my staff and replenish my ships, High Admiral.” A young Togruta officer said, her voice calm. Val did not know her, but on first appearance she seemed competent enough. She bore the rank of Commodore, a group commander. She spoke again, “Unfortunately the greater problem I foresee is the enemy’s cloaked ships.” The officer continued, getting straight to her larger concern. “What is the use of attempting to reconstitute our forces if the enemy can slip so easily beyond the outer defenses.”  
Val nodded, agreeing with her wholeheartedly. Having read the reports on the subject, he knew it would be only a matter of time, weeks at the most, before a hostile force did exactly that. In the best case, they would stumble into an unprepared fleet, inflict grievous damage and then withdraw. In the worst case, they would strike at one of the Empire’s dreadfully ill-prepared shipyards and destroy or otherwise sabotage it. It will be Kuat, Val thought, his heart sinking as he did so. If the enemy were to risk an attack in force, it would be at the heart of the Empire’s ship production, where the true behemoths were made.  
Triumphant and its sister ships had played the decisive role in the Empire’s victory at Skoruppa and only Kuat had the facilities to create them with the efficiency needed to match the enemy. He had discussed this eventuality with Koorta at every opportunity he could find to do so. Koorta had reminded him that worrying about everywhere the enemy could strike would leave him scrambling instead of taking more proactive measures. Val disagreed, but had little beyond his own previously discussed evidence to counter the Grandmaster’s assertion. It was that small voice that drove him to these lengths, a feeling of impending dread that would not abate until some measure was taken.  
“What is your proposition then, Commodore…?” Hart asked, waving his hand as if to coax the woman’s name from her. “Xiehesha Kel, Admiral.” she said, tapping at the panel on the table in front of her. The display changed, revealing an Imperial orbital outpost. Val did not recognize the station nor the planet it orbited. “This is Fedje, one of our listening posts on the fringe.” Kel explained before laying her hands on the table. “I believe it is the most likely crossing point for an enemy stealth fleet.” Kel stated plainly, as if to invite challenge from the senior officers surrounding her.  
Val followed her eyes around the room, an ancient-looking Bothan with a white muzzle rose to the occasion. “Forgive me Commodore, but would a listening post not be the most disadvantageous crossing point? Surely the station will detect their hyperdrive emissions.” The Admiral supposed, speaking for all involved. Kel nodded, then spoke directly to the officer, “The capabilities of such systems are somewhat limited in that regard.” She tapped at the control pad again, a set of schematics appearing depicting the layout and capabilities of the station.  
“Though the outpost is capable of picking up the hyperdrive signatures of ships within its range, it cannot reliably chart the destination of those jumps.” She elaborated, pausing for inquiries that failed to arise. “Most installations of this sort are positioned to cover one major hyperspace lane.” She changed the image again, showing a depiction of the hyperspace lanes surrounding the station system. Val understood her point immediately upon seeing it. There were two major hyperspace lanes covered by the station, the first of which led to Ithor, which would directly threaten any relief effort the Empire mounted. The second led directly to Fedje itself, which besides housing the station had little notable value on its own.  
“I believe the enemy has staged their siege of Agamar as a distraction for the true strike.” Kel said with certainty that Val grew increasingly fond of. “I believe they intend to strike at Kuat while we scramble to save Agamar.” She continued, locking eyes with the High Admiral.  
Val did not know this woman, but he trusted her intuition. The Mandan had been dealt an unexpected and wounding defeat at Skorrupon, it was within the bounds of what was known of their warrior ethos to strike at the most vital target available to them. The destruction of the Kuat Drive Yards may not end the war, but it would shift the balance heavily into the enemy’s favor. The room was suddenly awash in murmurs. The commodore did not relent, revealing the true crux of the proposed enemy plan. “There are no listening posts along the route to Kuat, making this, theoretically, the only such route along the fringe that the enemy can exploit in such a way.”  
Her points were well asserted, in line with everything he had researched on his own recognizance. Koorta spared him a glance, likely sensing Val’s unease. The room broke out in fresh murmurs, Admiral Hart staring ahead at the woman, eyes unfocused. The man’s white beard was pulled up as a smirk touched the corners of his mouth. “Would you gamble your life on this assertion, commodore?” The admiral asked, his eyes suddenly becoming focused on the woman.  
She barely hesitated, sparing only a sidewards glance to those around her. “I would, Sir.” She said, an impassive look masking what Val could only assume was elation. Hart reached for the datapad in front of him and tapped twice, the image on screen shifting to a still image of Agamar. The world was aflame, the sprawling city scapes of the colony smoldering ruins spilling smoke into the highest reaches of the atmosphere. Mandan warships stood in relief, turbo laser bolts suspended in motion as they traced their path toward the surface below. A wave of fresh rage spilled over Val as he observed, the room silent around him. Bastards. He thought, bile rising.  
Hart laid the datapad on the table and placed his hands palm down behind it. “This choice lays before my hands.” He began meeting each eye as he scanned the room. He raised his right hand “To rescue those currently under siege and safeguard Agamar.” He stated, then raised his left hand. “Or, to safeguard against a greater unproven threat, to let Agamar be despoiled.” He assessed, looking at the image again. “Every fiber of me desires to meet this enemy above that world and drive him from our space!” Hart said, his hands crashing into the table to emphasize his anger.  
Val shared the man’s passion, it was, he knew, the universal sentiment. “But…” Hart began again, “I cannot in good conscience risk the integrity of Kuat if I intend to win this war.” Hart grimaced as he looked across the room, “The greater suffering must be avoided.” He said, a tired look coming over him before being banished with a noticeable effort. “Commodore, I assume you have a proposal?” The High Admiral asked, leaning back in his chair as if shifting the weight he had just revealed.  
“I propose that we conduct a spoiling assault.” Kel said. It was more than murmurs now, a few of her fellow officers scoffed. One Twi’lek Marine General laughed aloud as he spoke, “I like zis proposal.” He said through a wolf-like grin, a gout of accompanying laughter erupting from his fellow infantry officers. It was in their nature to favor aggression. The stern faces of the Naval officers depicted in stark contrast the difference of opinion between the two branches. Save for a few skirmishes, the war had largely been confined to the Naval forces thus far. It was clear that these ground officers desired a part to play in this war.  
Hart waved his hand, coaxing Kel to continue as the chatter faded. She quickly used her datapad to change the image displayed then stood to move closer addressing the entire assembly. The new graphic was a system chart labeled as “Akuria”. The hyper lane map accompanying depicted the system as the most likely ingress route for a hostile incursion force, laying just outside of the sensor range of the Hyperlane probes. “I propose a raid on the assembly point, two battle groups with accompanying marine boarding regiments will jump into Akuria, destroying or capturing as many enemy ships as possible before returning to a defensive posture at Fedje.” She said. Two battle groups were far less than Val had expected her to request. Two capital ships and accompanying support vessels against an unknown number of enemy vessels?  
Then it clicked in his head as the assembled officers discussed. Capture. Val mused. It was a brilliant idea in theory. By attacking the enemy’s staging point it would force them to reconsider their plans and the capture of even one enemy stealth ship would allow an incomprehensible range of possibilities for future Imperial operations. The shattered hulks of those destroyed at Skorrupon were already being picked apart and reconstructed by Imperial engineers to replicate the technology though little progress had yet been made. The Mandans had a distinct advantage in naval power on a ship-to-ship basis, though they could not seemingly directly match the largest Star Destroyers in the Imperial arsenal. Worse than that, Aella had repeatedly warned Val that the Mandan infantry were, to her assessment, superior to their Imperial counterparts.  
Val trusted Aella implicitly now, her input had been instrumental to their victory at Skorrupon. She had not yet been revealed to the hierarchy by Koorta, but Val remained hopeful that her contributions would soon be rewarded. A Knighthood would suit her, they needed all the trained hands they could get. More than that, he wanted to see his friend receive recognition for the service she had rendered.  
Hart turned to Koorta and spoke into his ear, Val made no effort to eavesdrop, what was said was not for him. Koorta nodded, obviously agreeing with the proposition. Hart then stood, prompting the assembly to stand. “Commodore, you will accompany the grandmaster as his second, in operational command of the fleet.” Hart dictated to Kel, whom did her best to conceal any outward signs of discontent at not receiving strategic command of her own proposed operation. The commodore bowed slightly, affirming his order, “At your command Admiral.”  
Hart met each eye in the room a final time, “For the Empire.” He said with a slim smile before turning and moving for the exit. The room broke into conversation immediately, more than a few of the officers moving to Kel to discuss the operation. Koorta remained stationary, fending off his own parade of eager officers. This left Val with an opportunity to escape. He made for the door, but was waylaid by Teiron, who appeared from the shadows as if he’d materialized from them.  
“A remarkable woman.” Teiron said, obviously smitten with admiration. Val cracked a smile, nodding in agreement, “A little intense for my tastes.” Val said, catching a sideways glance from Teiron in response. Fair. Val thought, his smile widening as the ISB officer handed him a datapad with a grimace. Val’s eyes fell upon the report’s title and his heart sank, Mandan Collaborators. “It’s confirmed Val, the Addrass assisted the Mandans on Taris, sabotaged the shield, coordinated with them in the attack on the palace-“ Teiron looked Val in the eye as he revealed the last betrayal, “-they have your father, Val.”   
Val had known that of course, he’d felt that his father yet lived, but he’d hoped that Tae had made it into the lower cities. Val scanned the page, but didn’t truly see anything. He handed the tablet back to Teiron, his face set in a stony disposition somewhere between anger and grief. “Any news of Zeya?” Val asked, fearing most for her. He doubted she would have allowed herself be captured alive, too much like Ben. Teiron merely looked away toward the approaching commodore whom had somehow escaped her previous spot at the center of attentions.  
“Knight Kidann, I do not believe we have met, though I have heard of your exploits, of course.” Kel said, her eyes filled with intensity. It radiated from her, a presence that commanded attention regardless of rank or privilege. Val offered his hand, which she took as they both bowed in the courtly fashion more a sign of recognition than supplication. Teiron remained remarkably unphased by the sudden intrusion to their previous conversation. “Commander Ortheraut Teiron, Commodore.” The ISB officer said with a smile. Though Kel technically outranked Teiron significantly by conventional Imperial reckoning, the ISB did not function by that conventional standard.  
“An honor, commander.” Kel replied briefly, “I know you both by reputation, though my command is an honor I do wish that I had not traded in my wings. My original post was as a pilot on Triumphant, though the Empire called me elsewhere.” She explained. Val thought of Toth, the difference one more pilot might have made but that was sacrilege to the man’s memory. Let dead heroes rest. He thought, pulling himself back to the moment at hand.  
“It seems the Empire’s call has paid dividends.” Val replied with a forced smile, his mind still banishing the previous thoughts. Kel accepted the compliment with a gracious but slim smile. “If it works, perhaps do.” She answered, then turned to Teiron. “Commander, though I would be gratified to speak with you another time I would like to discuss with Knight Kidann privately.” To his credit, Teiron made no argument against this. He smiled widely and bowed respectfully to her, “I very much look forward to our next meeting, commodore.” He said, emphasizing her title in a way that Val knew was meant to ingratiate him toward her. Again to his credit, it seemed to work, as the commodore returned his bow with a knowing smile.  
Teiron left as quickly as he had appeared, through the door and out into the darkness beyond momentarily. Kel returned her attention to him, “I intend to request that you oversee the boarding parties, Knight Kidann.” She stated plainly, giving Val little time to react before her next statement. “I have it that you are no stranger to such assignments.” She continued, now plainly obvious to Val that she knew much more about him than he’d thought possible.  
“Well, this will be a new experience in truth.” Val replied honestly, he’d never been at the forefront of a ship boarding before, though he doubted it was too dissimilar from what he and Chiko had pulled on Zyllovan. “I must admit that I believe there is another of my order who is far more gifted than I-“ but Kel cut him off abruptly. “Chiko Suvan, I assume?” She asked rhetorically. “She is, unfortunately for us all, in disfavor.” The commodore said with a grimace. “She would have been my first choice, I hope that does not sting too greatly.” Kel said with a trace of remorse.  
It didn’t, Val did not begrudge Chiko her skill an iota. As they had regularly proven to each other in their sparring bouts, Val and Chiko were a unique match for each other. Objectively, however, Chiko was the better of them in the realm of both swordsmanship and strategy. How much of that is our connection. Val thought briefly, wondering how he could match her despite her inherent advantage. He had trained hard and continued to improve under the tutelage of Koorta, but Chiko had done so since the moment she could stand.  
“It doesn’t, I’ve always upheld that she is the superior in those matters.” Val said with a casualness that seemed to surprise Kel. Perhaps the other part of Val and Chiko’s relationship had escaped her notice? It was unlikely that the records available to a normal fleet officer would include such trivialities as one’s paramour. Kel seemed to look at him in a new light as she resolved the implications in his endorsement. It was unusual, he supposed, to her mindset as a fleet officer. As Raeth had colored the character of the Knights, Kuat had colored the fleet. It was a cutthroat meritocracy, a field in which competing ideas and narratives determined one’s place within the hierarchy. Xiehesha Kel had climbed through that hierarchy and now stood at the heart of its next pivotal operation.  
“Well, I expect you will perform the task nearly as admirably as I thought she might.” Kel said, chiding him slightly. He’d shown a small amount of weakness and she had tested him. “The Mandan don’t stand a chance.” He said, fresh anger bubbling up he thought of Taris. He suppressed those thoughts as quickly as he could. The dark side was a powerful tool, but he would not let it rule him. The time would come, to unleash those caged emotions, but it was not now.  
Kel’s smile returned, “They are certainly unprepared for what I intend.” She said, turning her gaze toward Koorta. There was, of course, no certainty in war. Kel did not know of the Shadowhand, nor of the horrors that Val had witnessed through Aella and Chiko’s eyes. They were pieces in a great game that was being played toward a yet uncertain objective. Though it may have been coincidence, the state of the Imperial Navy was suspiciously weakened at just the moment in which this new and powerful enemy appeared. More than that; the true scale of the Mandan threat had been somehow concealed despite an alarming proximity to the Empire’s border. It was, obviously to Val, the result of the Shadowhand’s efforts, but as of yet the evidence was discouragingly little to support that assertion.  
“I am certain the grandmaster will be most interested in your strategies.” Val stated, hoping to conclude their conversation before Koorta broke free. Kel spared him a sideways glance, “Oh don’t let me keep you Knight Kidann, I am certain you have pressing matters to attend to.” She said, teasing him mildly. Val smirked at that, she had him on that account. He turned to leave, but a thought occurred to him, causing him to turn and speak to the officer. “Teiron is quite respectable in good company, but keep him away from Cerulian brandy, he can’t help himself.” Val said eliciting a chuckle from the commodore. “Thank you for the warning, Val.” She said, sparing him a final look before approaching Koorta. As she was greeting the grandmaster, Val slipped quietly into the hall. Chiko would be back at their apartment, no doubt bored out of her senses and furious with her exclusion, he would pay for that when they sparred, already wincing at the scrapes and bruises that would result.  
He took the long route along the exterior periphery walkways across the height of the upper palace grounds. Far below in massive terraced steps were the lower levels of the Imperial city. Even the lowest of those levels glittered with resplendent, manufactured beauty that on could only find on Raeth. As he looked out across the horizon, he caught a glimpse of far-off mountains, a few towering structures built into their sides. Raeth would someday be like Taris, entirely covered by a massive ecumenopolis, layers of history built over by successive generations until no trace of its original form remained. He, like most in the Empire, was wary of such places, the great tomb that had once been Coruscant standing testament to the dangers inherent to them. More than that, however, was the loss of fidelity. No guiding hand had laid those mountains into form, nature itself had willed them into existence through a trillion competing variables that resulted in the picturesque sight before him. No artist, no engineer and no architect could have harnessed such chaos into something so beautiful.


	19. 19

Val was not fond of the Imperial standard insertion vehicle. A form of heavily specialized drop ship intended to attach to the hull of an enemy ship, then bore through with a specialized high-intensity beam, the ship lacked any sort of defensive weaponry or shielding. The thick armor plating was supposed to be resistant to most anything short of a turbolaser bolt, but unfortunately, almost all capital ships carried turbolasers. Fifty men and women packed into a coffin, just waiting for a hammer to find the mail that would seal their fate.  
Val gripped the straps around his chest tightly, not immune to the heavy g-forces now being pulled by the ship’s pilot. By necessity, these pilots were often top-of-class types, those that fell just short of starfighter qualifications or held qualms about the necessary killing that came with a jock’s profession. This pilot, though Val could only see the back of his helmeted head was a Mirialan named Rezhh. Val had come to hate the man in the short minutes he had been his passenger. Rezhh was a maniac, his Mirialan frame better suited to the g-forces being pulled than his human counterparts. As the magnetic locks clamped into position, sealing them to the hull, Val breathed a sigh of relief.   
The cutting crew assumed their position, executing each move with practiced ease. Within moments the hull section was falling inwards, glowing edges fading as the residual heat dissipated. Val followed the platoon commander, a squat but muscular Corellian man called Foroth. Lieutenant Foroth had recently been promoted to his post from his previous rank as sergeant. The last commander of the platoon had been killed at Skorrupon, freak accident by all accounts, fell off his bunk and broke his neck. Val had seen Foroth’s mind, finding no trace of regret there. If what Foroth believed was true, that Lieutenant would have gotten them all killed.  
There would be a time to account for that, Val knew. Right now, the Empire needed these marines, even Foroth as despicable as he may have been, Val may have done the same in the man’s position. What’s wrong with me. He thought, revulsion welling in his stomach. He didn’t used to think like that, not at all.  
“Follow me sir.” Foroth said, his heavily tattooed, cord-like arms bare, totally out of regulations. Foroth had nearly 20 years on Val, with a long list of honors accompanying his career. It was only natural that the man would hold some disdain for a young noble with a surplus of power. The sergeant hefted his heavy blaster carbine and jumped through the hole rolling as he did so. His initial momentum carried him through into the larger ship’s relative gravity while the roll allowed the man to correctly orient himself. It was a practiced movement Val was certain each of the marines around him had mastered.  
Luckily, Val could draw on something other than the experience he lacked. He leapt through, drawing on the force to correct his orientation. To anyone observing, he may as well have been flying. It was something he could only manage for short periods and at great exertion, but it was useful in such situations. Foroth was focused otherwise and so did not see Val’s graceful entrance. A low alarm blared, hull integrity had been compromised and the enemy knew exactly where it had occurred. It would be a matter of moments before the first enemy forces began to arrive.  
The rest of the platoon filed in behind Val, moving with purpose in all directions, setting up a secure position encompassing the entire block. Val moved slowly behind Foroth, whom raised a hand to signal his first squad to follow his lead. They rapidly approached an intersection, the two branching corridors curving off left and right out of sight. Foroth made a move to check the right hall, but Val stepped up, signaling for him to stop. Val could sense the trap awaiting ahead, four men and a heavy blaster turret that would shred the squad if they continued into its range.  
“Ambush.” Val said, inclining his head down the right hall. Foroth smiled, “Not really, but I get your point.” He replied, citing the literal definition of an ambush. “Left it is.” Foroth said, raising then indicating the direction to the rest of his squad with his hand. Two marines surged forward rapidly, taking the lead. Foroth took a position at the center of the hallway as they moved deeper into the vessel, the goal of their operation was to seize the main reactor room. There were three other platoons making similar entries across the ship, each targeting a specific vital system, the bridge, the primary hangar bay and the shield ward. The capture of all of these systems would render the ship combat ineffective and allow for the Empire to take control with a second wave of naval personnel.  
The first enemy came into view as they approached the block just short of their target. A technician of some kind, repairing an utterly ruined rack of subsystem wiring. Foroth dropped the man without hesitation, making for the security door that would allow access to the reactor room beyond. “Slicer up.” Foroth ordered, a trooper bounding forward already unpacking his equipment. The sliced pulled off the door control panels and began crossing wires, within moments he turned to Foroth and held out a thumb, indicating a successful slice. Foroth nodded and turned, “First Squad prepare to breach, second in 10 seconds later, third squad hold the door.”  
Each squad leader confirmed the order verbally as Val moved to Foroth’s side. The slicer waited, hand on the door trigger, for Foroth’s command. The sergeant took in a heavy breath then exhaled slowly. “Here we go again.” The man breathed. “Kick it.” The sergeant commanded. The slicer obliged, door shooting open as he did so. Blaster fire filled the air as the enemy within began to suppress the attackers. Foroth grabbed a grenade from a pouch on his chest, Val observed as the Slicer did the same from across the hall. In near perfect tandem, both men tossed the grenades around their respective corners, a bright flash following an instant later.   
Two marines surged forward following Foroth’s command of, “Breach!”. The opposition within had been blinded by the stun grenades, a few well-placed shots putting them down in short order. Val infinite’s his lightsaber, stepping into the room, but it was not needed. In the quiet following the battle, Val assessed the events thus far, everything had went off perfectly and thus Val distrusted the ease at which they had achieved their goal. He keyed his comm, “All platoons report in.”  
“One, complete.” Came Foroth’s voice, calm and clear. “Two complete.” Came the second, breathing heavily from exertion. “Three, hold.” Came the third, the sound of blaster fire in the background. A long moment passed as Val waited for the fourth signal, but it never came. He turned to Foroth, his eyes narrowing as his meaning became clear. “Four platoon, report.” He said, already pulling up a map of the vessel. When the fourth failed to report, Val spoke. “Leave two of the squads, we need to secure the bridge.  
Foroth nodded with a sigh of exasperation. “First squad with me.” He said as Val began to move. Their path took them through the ambush corridor to a turbolift. As they reached the ambush corridor turn, Val halted and addressed Foroth. “I’ll handle this.” He said, igniting his lightsaber and stepping immediately around the corner. The heavy blaster cannon spat fire, but Val was too fast and anticipated the arc, leaping beyond it with enhanced speed. The three enemies not manning the turret opened fire, Val evading most of the barrage and rebounding the rest with his lightsaber. One of the returned bolts found its mark on an enemy, sending them spinning back. The turret blazed a track of fire into the wall, but Val had already reached the fortification. He leapt over the haphazardly assembled crates and landed in the midst of the defenders, dispatching each with a precise cut as they reached vainly for their melee weapons.  
Foroth arrived a moment later, an impressed look on his weathered face. Doubtless he had seen knights in action before, but perhaps it was rarer than Val believed. “Handle it you did.” The sergeant said, not stopping to converse, the fourth platoon needed aid, after all. Val deactivated his saber, drawing his blaster and moving to follow his squad mates. They traversed the distance in reckless haste, hoping that the fourth platoon had drawn the enemy’s attention away from this approach. Luckily enough, that seemed to be the case.  
The turbolift was locked down, but the slicer managed to get it moving momentarily. Val would need to familiarize himself with these men and women after this was all concluded. As the turbolift came to a halt on the command deck, Val took a calming breath, the marines were panting now, having crossed much of the ship’s length in their rush from the reactor room. Val smiled, he was in better shape than the Empire’s best. The stormtrooper corps may have balked at that of course, what with their long standing feud with the marine legions. Another relic of the rift between Kuat and Raeth. Once, the two branches had contested directly, the Stormtrooper corps on behalf of Kuat and the Void Marines for Raeth. Ancient wounds left unmended for better or worse.  
The doors opened, revealing the battle-scarred remnants of the command corridor. It was eerily silent, bodies strewn about the floor, weapons discarded and scattered. The Marines had made good progress, pushing the enemy deeper into the command deck. As they walked it became clear to Val that something was very wrong. It was a trap, they had pushed forward too easily, every fiber of him screamed to escape it. Foroth shared a worried look, it wasn’t just the force creating this feeling.  
Fire erupted from ahead, the point man of the squad went down with a shot to the helmet. Val returned fire as he dove for cover behind a support beam on the left hand wall. Foroth was hit in the shoulder, but rolled into cover behind a computer bank. A downed squad member crawled for cover under sustained fire, prompting Val to drag him in with an invisible hand. It was a little to rough, the man slamming into the wall before breathlessly wheezing “Thanks.”  
Val chanced a glance around his cover, his eyes falling on the black armored figures responsible for the ambush. The remains of the squad were laying fire upon the enemy, but to little effect. That black armor was reflecting bolts that should have otherwise ended the wearer. Val placed a few well placed shots into the nearest figure, managing only to send them reeling. It wasn’t a PDS, those would have failed by now, this was something different, related to the armor itself.  
Val ignited his lightsaber, reflecting bolts and drawing the fire away from his teammates. A few narrowly missed him, slipping through his defense. He drew on the force, enhancing his speed to account for the enemy’s superior accuracy. Within moments he was among them, but these troops were prepared. Vibroswords extended from their shadowsheaths and the battle was joined. Val took the offensive, attempting to down the nearest trooper before the remainder could assist the man. To his enemy’s credit, the man knew he was overmatched and so played for time, effortlessly dropping a stun grenade that may have caught a conventional swordsman off guard. Val merely tossed the device away with a flick of his wrist, sending it sailing into the wall behind him where it popped harmlessly.  
Blades met and sparked as Val targeted the man’s armor joints, assuming that the energy blade may be resisted by the cuirass. He found purchase after a short but vicious exchange, the longest a non-force wielded had managed since Val had began his training. These warriors were truly exceptional. The man reeled, a muffled curse touching Val’s ear as he did so. Val prepared a killing blow, raining it down at the man’s neckline but was intercepted by the second warrior’s blade. He cursed internally, a moment too slow to finish the fight. The third man came forward in a telegraphed thrust that Val managed to evade with a short spin. This third warrior sailed past, having devoted all of his momentum to the strike. The second warrior’s blade scraped the deck as Val allowed his saber arm to drop. The arm shot back up, targeting the warrior’s throat, but was intercepted by a second blade, a knife drawn from the chest holster that the warrior had pulled with his free hand. A grim smile spread across Val’s face, this was a true challenge.  
The first warrior recovered, attacking in tandem with the second as Val leapt between them. They halted their strikes, repositioning to keep him between the three of them. Val targeted the third man, hoping that his earlier overcommitment was indicative of inexperience. His intuition was correct, but the third warrior yet put forward a valiant defense. Had Val been any other opponent, this man may have succeeded in that effort. The strike sent the warrior to the deck hard, the saber gliding with his momentum to meet the rapidly approaching blade of the second warrior.  
More curses accompanied this shift, as the two struck wildly, searching for an opening in his defense. They found one, but were rewarded only with the harsh screech of metal touching metal. His armor had bore the entirety of the strike, his left arm free to employ. The blast of energy conjured sent the second warrior tumbling across the floor, smashing heavily into the wall where he lay still. The first warrior struck at Val’s hand, catching his vambrace instead, which hissed as the weapon traced a path across its surface.  
Val struck the man down diagonally from shoulder to hip, sending him crashing back into the wall. Val sensed the approaching 4th warrior too late, the blade of the man’s sword touching his neck. “Still much to learn.” Came the modulated taunting voice of his enemy. Val cursed, dropping his saber in surrender. He was shortly avenged by Foroth, who placed the barrel of his weapon against the enemy’s head. “Mission complete.” The elder marine said with a toothy smile.  
Val turned to face the black-armored foe, an Imperial Commando, by reputation and likeness. Pulling from both the Marines and the Stormtrooper corps, the Imperial Commandos were the most capable and veteran troops the Empire had. The commando removed his helmet, revealing a crop of stunningly white hair an ice blue eyes. Val had known many Echani pureblood in his time, but this man could have been the archetypical Eshan by outward visage. The Commando was mid-30s by Val’s guess and obviously in charge of this team. The three team members rose slowly, along with all of the other “corpses” surrounding them. The ship’s broadcast system came alive, “Exercise Complete, standby for further orders.” Came the calm and clear voice of the female ensign on the Triumphant’s bridge.  
Val held out a hand, “Val Kidann.” He said with the smile of a humbled man. The Eshan offered his own, the two shaking as Foroth moved back to berate his troops. “D’Raed Vauch, but Raed is fine.” He said, then pointed to his team members in the order that Val had dispatched them. “Dalmer Tryt, Kosho Ruhaul and Syttacz.” Dalmer was the youngest of the group, roughly Val’s age, his tan face matted with sheets of sweat. Kosho was an Iridonian, his orange skin lined with deep red marks. Syttacz was Mirialan, his face ornately lined and hair a trifle longer than regulation normally allowed.  
Val nodded to the men, no doubt their collective appraisal of him based upon the trouncing he had delivered to them a few moments before. Dalmer stepped forward, a grimace of lingering discomfort on his broad face. “You sure that thing is on the training setting?” He asked, pointing to Val’s lightsaber. Val smiled as he nodded affirmatively. “Well you’re still in one piece aren’t you?” He countered, prompting a chuckle from the other commandos. Dalmer ran his hands across himself jokingly, “I think so?” He asked with faux surprise.  
Val could sympathize, he’d become somewhat resistant to the burn that accompanied the low-power setting during his training. These men, though he had no doubt they had taken their share of wounds, were unlikely to have felt that sting before. It was a lingering burn, one that would ensure that each wielded knew the capability of the weapon they carried and the stakes involved when using it. Unfortunately for the commandos, the nature of their bout had forced him to hit at full force, as he wasn’t sure of the efficacy of their armor.  
No doubt, some Mandans would have energy resistant armor. Aella had mentioned Beskar in passing, the ancient steel that the Mandan revered. There was precious little left of it, from her telling, but a small amount when placed in the right hands might just shape the outcome of a battle. “You were most impressive.” Val stated plainly, doing what he could to mend the egos of the elite warriors before him. “High praise, but technically you lost sir.” Dalmer said with a smile.  
Val smirked, technically that was true, in the harshest view of things. The death of a Knight counted for far more than a team of commandos, more than the loss of an entire company of marines or stormtroopers. Val did not entirely agree with that assessment, regardless of his abilities, a well trained team would do exactly as fine a job as he or any other Knight. Chiko, of course, was an exception to that assessment. Chiko was the exception to most such assessments. As the young commando’s words sank in, Val dwelled on that thought. It should have been Chiko in his place.  
“Little good winning did you Dal.” Syttacz said, re-tying the woven knot that restrained his hair. Kosho nodded, agreeing with his Mirialan squad mate. Vauch gave Val a knowing look, “Victory doesn’t mean much if you’re not there to see it Dal.” The team leader added, “Though I doubt the Mandan have anyone near as capable as Knight Kidann.” It was not a platitude, Vauch was sincere, though grudgingly so, in his appraisal. Val bowed slightly, “I did my best to pose a challenge and you succeeded, I concede to that.”  
Dal looked slightly deflated by his team’s words. “Forget it sir, they already ruined it.” He said with an exaggerated sigh. Val liked this group, elite, close-knit and welllead. Pity was that he would not likely be working with them directly unless things went terribly wrong. The commando units had the glamorous task of supplementing any marine force that got bogged down. In the best case, they would never leave the Triumphant.  
Val turned to Vauch, “A pleasure, Captain.” Val said with a smile. Vauch nodded, “Sir.” Giving Val leave. The other commandos saluted briefly, then turned their attention inward. Val focused on Foroth, who was busily dressing down the first squad commander for getting himself shot. Val approached slowly, letting the platoon leader finish his tirade, “...prancing about the deck like some Twi’ hussy on her first courtship.” Was the mildest of the epithets Val overheard. The woman remained stationary and stone-faced as Foroth continued, but it was clear she was not shaken by the man. By the time Foroth had finished, it was clear that both parties were suppressing laughter. “Hell Garante, you’re like a daughter to me! A dim-witted, ugly, good-for-nothing wastrel just like your mother!” Was the breaking point, sending all except for Foroth into wracking sobs of laughter.  
Foroth relented, turning back to face Val. “Forgive me sir, morale was low after your untimely demise.” He bowed with a smile, “May the force embrace your spirit.” He added with a smirk. Val shrugged, “Nobody is perfect.” He smiled widely, “But I doubt you would have gotten very far if I hadn’t pointed out that ambush.”  
Foroth nodded, “Yes sir, that would have been quite an ignoble end for old Foroth.” He turned to the squad shooing away the rabble. Each member saluted before moving off toward the hangar. Foroth sighed, “Lot of kids sir.” It was clear to Val that the man cared about his troops, though he would rarely show it. Val wasn’t sure if that was possessive or affectionate in nature and thus could make no assessment of the man’s character from it. In truth, Foroth’s entire demeanor was enigma to Val’s senses.  
“Not much more than a kid myself Sergeant.” He said grimly. Foroth nodded at that, “Truth be told you’re all kids in my eyes, that’s the way it works when you live too long.” The old soldier said grimly, his eyes affixed in the middle distance. Val had no doubt Foroth was sincere in that sentiment. Whatever the sergeant’s faults, he had certainly had a venerable career. How many of his peers still carried a blaster? How many would be clambering out of retirement with delusions of rejoining the war effort in time for a true glorious struggle?  
Doubtless Foroth had seen his fair share of conflict, busting pirates was no less dangerous than any other conflict. What did Foroth think of this conflict? Did he distinguish between this war and all of the others he had served in? To Val it seemed that the Empire was engaged in its most dire moment, a true contest for its very fate, but was that truly the case? So much was uncertain about the Mandans’ aims. Did they truly desire to conquer the Empire as a whole or merely claim a few choice worlds for their own purposes? Was this some belated reaction for the Imperial’s prior crusades? Inching ever close into territory the Mand viewed as his own? What role did the Shadowhand play in that?  
Val could only nod to the man, his mind racing as he pondered questions far larger than his part in the conflict. Foroth slapped the butt of his carbine and then slung the weapon, “Only thing in the galaxy I trust in times like this, hope you have something similar.” The sergeant said sagely. Val nodded again at that, “I suppose you know a lot about surviving times like these.” Val replied, hand resting on the hilt of his blaster pistol. Foroth nodded slowly, “Surviving… Yeah.” The man said, eyes distant again before returning to meet Val’s gaze.  
There was a flicker of a different man in those eyes, a younger man to Val’s appraisal. It was an energy that faded quickly, a harshness settling in that was far more familiar. There was the softest sound that rebounded through Val’s mind, a scream of pain cut short and the long silence that followed. A coldness permeated through him and Val shivered as it passed. Val knew that loss, he knew it was Foroth’s to bear alone, but the man had his sympathy. A flicker of a smile touched the older man’s lips as he turned and strode away toward the hangar.

Aella and Chiko were in the training room. Val had entered mid-bout, Aella was on the offensive, her saber twirling ahead of her as she pushed Chiko from the center of the mat. There was a measure of frustration on Chiko’s face, which was surprising to him. Aella was by no means deficient as a fighter, but unless some great strides had been made during her time under Chiko’s tutelage she was not the latter’s equal. Chiko was off-balance, her mind was not in the fight and thus her body was paying the toll. Even the greatest had off days.  
Her eyes caught his, his thoughts had been too loud. Aella leapt forward, feinting a low slash targeting Chiko’s left leg that morphed upward into a stab for Chiko’s heart. It came closer than Val was comfortable with, the blade point ripping close enough to her clothing to ripple the cloth. Chiko retaliated by battering the blade point away, but that was a waste of exertion. Aella, always a moment ahead, was quick to punish the outburst, slipping in to Chiko’s guard and pinning her arms with a stranglehold. Unable to use her hands, Chiko leaned back, letting her weight carry the pair of them back into a roll. Chiko came out on top, reversing the lock by letting go of her weapon. However, with a foot raised above the now supine Aella’s neck, Chiko held the killing position and therefor the bout was hers.  
“That was a close one.” Aella said with a friendly smile. “Yeah.” Chiko said, her foot still held above her opponent’s throat. Val remained still, hoping the momentary rage he felt would pass, he would not be fast enough to prevent Chiko from acting if she decided to do so. Aella rolled away, turning her momentum and pulling on the force to bring her to her feet. Chiko let her foot fall, holding out a hand palm-up. Aella looked down at her left hand where Chiko’s saber was still tightly held, “Oh, I totally forgot.” She said, handing the weapon back to Chiko, who then turned her attention to Val. We need to talk.  
Val smiled in reply and turned to Aella. “Do you mind if I step in?” He asked, hoping Aella would not mind. She nodded, “Do you mind if I stick around? I haven’t seen the two of you fight.” Val spared a glance toward Chiko, who nodded, their conversation did not need to be verbal. “If you don’t mind.” Val said with a smile, “May I borrow your saber while you wait?”  
Aella tossed the weapon to him with a nod, then took a seat at a bench. Val caught the weapon in his off-hand and ignited with a flourish, drawing his own saber with his dominant right hand. He had been practicing Jar’Kai with Koorta when he had the opportunity and alone when he didn’t. Chiko smiled, it was a secret he had kept from her. This should be amusing. Came her soft voice. He put his mind at rest, stepping forward and circling her as she held her position at the center of the ring.  
Promise me that I will be with you. She asked as he moved closer, his left blade presented toward her in a guard, the right hand low, blade nearly scraping the mat below. He grimaced, knowing that he could not promise that. It is not my decision. He replied.  
She made the first move, leaping forward to test his guard. He denied her the opportunity, stepping away. She relented, moving back to the center, a scowl of concentration affixed to her beautiful face. She was distracted, her mind split between an inner dialogue and the fight ahead of her. Yes it is. She responded. Val considered that, the harsh truth within. He desired to protect her, though it was more than desire. What if something went wrong in their mission? What if some stupid vainglorious bastard blamed her for that failure? Val was above reproach, his family trod beneath the enemy in the defense of their home, but Chiko was not so well positioned.  
If we fail, they will blame you, I cannot allow that. He replied. She rushed forward, overpowering his guard in a brilliant moment, her speed and precision leaving him reeling back, forcing him to utilize both blades in defense. Her message was clear, he was not the one to decide what sort of protection she needed. Val set himself, pinning her blade to the mat with his left while raising his right hand to strike across her neck. Her free hand shot out, grabbing his left with speed and strength borrowed from the force.  
Val drew upon his own strength, forcing the blade down as she fought to rebuff him. It was an immense effort, one that left him struggling to breathe. She danced back, freeing herself in a spin that turned into a lateral leap. Her blade whipped around, leading her momentum as she struck for his heart. He narrowly managed to catch her strike with his left blade, shedding the momentum as he stepped beneath, allowing the blade to slip away as she danced back. She charged forward again but he met her with his own offensive, lashing out with both blades, forcing her to retreat across the mat. She leapt upwards in a backwards somersault that twisted above him, putting her five paces to his rear. He spun rapidly, blades leading the way as he did so. Each strike forced her further into retreat, beads of sweat beginning to trickle down her face and neck.  
Val was tiring now, but the thrill of victory carried him forward. She missed a step, falling backwards as she did. He could hardly believe it. He had never beaten her so thoroughly and never due to her own compounding mistakes. The look on her face as she rolled up to see his blade pointing down at her said all he needed to know. I need this Val. She pleaded, the words sodden with her desperation. Val relented, putting deactivating his weapons. There would always be a hunger for violence in her. Though it had been restrained, some part of Chiko Suvan craved the thrill of battle. He was forced to reckon with that, to see past it and to accept it. I know. He thought, offering her his hand as he tossed Aella’s lightsaber back to her.


	20. 20

Chiko was ahead of him, rushing to board her ship. The feeling of her lips upon his was still fresh. He had managed to convince Koorta to allow her command of a platoon. In truth, it had been very easy to do so, Koorta was no fool and knew the value of his student. Aella would remain aboard the Triumphant as Koorta’s advisor and would also serve as the relief force should the boarding actions fail. There were a handful of other knights aboard Triumphant, most of which were freshly transferred from other posts. Each one had been picked by Koorta, each one a veteran or otherwise extremely capable member of the order. Val was proud to serve among them, the greatest of the order.  
He took his seat next to Foroth, nodding to the older man. There was a distant look in Foroth’s eye, one that Val was unfamiliar with. The reality of what was to come had set upon them all. Those that spoke did so in hushed voices with close friends. Datapads and trinkets were exchanged, weapons and equipment loaded or discarded and final rites made. The boarding craft would launch immediately upon exit from hyperspace, directly behind the starfighter squadrons. The Triumphant’s complement would be tasked to the largest Mandan ship encountered. Along with Val and Chiko would be two other Knights: Hakari Tu and Orr Valon. Hakari was a Pureblood woman in her middle age, a veteran and former tutor that Val had met in passing during his time on Raeth. Orr Valon was a fresh-faced boy that had distinguished himself during the Correllian trials. Val had not seen him fight, but he trusted Koorta’s intuition. If everything went to plan, he would only see them again after the ship was fully under Imperial command.  
The loading ramp raised and shut with a mechanical whir. The internal running lights kicked on. Foroth came back to consciousness, rattling off a series of tailored insults meant to distract his troops. They blurred in Val’s mind, he did not truly know these men and women. Chiko’s heart was racing at a similar pace to his own. She tapped her foot against the floor panel, overflowing with eagerness. It had been a long time since she’d drawn her blade in a true battle and the thrill of starfighter combat had done seemingly little to diminish that hunger. Perhaps she will meet her match. He mused, wondering if there were such a person among the ranks of the Mandan.  
The craft lifted from the deck, engines whining and mixing with the muffled sound of a dozen other craft outside. They were sealed now, blind to the outside world. It was for the best of course, structural weaknesses like portholes had no utility for the damned souls in the passenger compartment. The boarding craft were unarmed, relying on armor and the cover of the starfighters to reach their destination. It was not in his nature to accept such limitations. He shut his eyes, unable to see, but still perceive the space surrounding him. The primary feeling among them was not fear, but a kind of hostile anticipation, a resignation to the impending violence to follow.  
The Mandan were out of position, scrambling to their defense as the first salvos of Imperial turbolaser fire struck their deflector shields. Said salvos were devastating, striking the starfighter launch bays and weapons blisters that would cripple the Mandan response. Starfighters and strike bombers rushed forward to gain superiority over the space around the Mandan fleet as a screen for the relatively defenseless boarding craft. It was an immense exertion to maintain this awareness, the scale of his wandering far beyond the norm for this sort of exercise. Koorta had advised against it in the past, but offered that were Val able to master this form of meditation it might make a very great difference in the battles to come. More importantly to Val, it gave him a place in all of this chaos.  
A starfighter broke free from the battle, streaking toward the approaching boarding craft. Its first pass was unsuccessful, all craft managing to evade as it streamed past, cannons blazing wildly discharging yellow-green bolts into the void. Val anticipated his next run, attempting to relay that information to the pilots of each craft. It would be unconscious for them, merely a sense of the enemy’s intent from which they could react accordingly. It was a form of suggestion that Val felt less invasive than most, but still so. Many of the pilots reacted correctly, maneuvering so as to angle their deflector shields to mitigate the fighter’s next attack.  
One of those number was not so well trained. Her final scream of “He’s locked on me.” before she and all of the troops she carried aboard her craft were utterly destroyed sending a shiver through Val’s spine. Just like that, thirty of the Empire’s finest were fined reduced to spinning pulverized debris that would slowly cool over the course of hours. It was not something Val could afford to dwell on. The fighter was coming around again, targeting another craft. His heart froze, it was going after Chiko’s craft.  
Val reached out instinctually, his first impulse taking hold of him. The fighter turned suddenly, speeding off for a few seconds before looping around again. Val lashed out again, an invisible hand steering the fighter off course as its weapons blazed, sending the bolts into an endless spiral through the darkness. Val could feel the pilot’s anger and indignation, he did not understand what was happening, perhaps believing that his craft was damaged or otherwise dysfunctional. With the arrival of an Imperial squadron, the pilot relented, accelerating back toward his home ship. The squadron made no attempt to pursue, staying close to the boarding group as they rapidly approached the target ship.  
It was a behemoth, a battlecruiser of similar scale to Triumphant. It would be a fierce battle once aboard. The first fifteen minutes would decide it all. If they failed to take control of even one of the objectives the follow-on boarding by the relief forces would be delayed or canceled. As the boarding craft touched the hull of the enemy ship, Val’s mind painted ghastly images of the results of such a failure. Aella had described the many inventive torture and interrogation methods that the Mandan had employed against her associates in the past. Val would die before he fell into the hands of such a people. He sensed a dozen Mandan below, all armed and waiting in cover.  
He opened his eyes as the cutting began, each marine assembled near their squad, Foroth first in line. Val moved to the front putting a hand on Foroth’s shoulder. “I’ll be first, they are waiting below.” Val said, igniting his lightsaber. Foroth nodded as he replied, “Thank you sir.” Despite the pride Foroth obviously held, he was a pragmatist and would not risk his life when a better option was available. The cutting ceased as the hull section fell inward. The air around the opening was immediately filled with blaster fire, causing Val to take a step back. Foroth grabbed two grenades from his belt, handing one to Val who primed the trigger. Foroth gave him a nod, then tossed the grenade into the hole, Val following suit just behind.  
The twin thumps of the grenades silenced the blaster fire and elicited a few screams from those too close to the breach. Val waited for the fragments to stop pinging, then dropped through the hole. They’d entered from the top, so he merely had to drop down as normal. His boots slammed into the deck, two scorched figures lay just ahead of him, their silver-grey armor burned away by the grenade blast. Four silhouettes appeared through the smoke, hiding behind barricades that had been pulled out of the walls. Val noted that as a clever idea and would mention the barriers to Koorta later.  
The first blaster bolt sizzled wide of his reach, he took his first step toward his assailant, saber ahead of him. The next shot would have hit his chest plate had he not struck it away, causing it to strike the wall and send a shower of sparks into the space behind him. Val reached out with his free hand, pulling the front most warrior toward him. The Mandan was surprised, flailing wildly as the invisible hand pulled him into the air. Val dashed forward, closing the distance with the man as he simultaneously pulled the restrained warrior toward him. The blue blade of the saber struck through the Mandan armor, Val did not stop to confirm the kill, there was no chance the man had survived a cut like that.  
The remaining figures unloaded upon him, but he drove through the barrage. The blade struck flesh again, sending the warrior to his right to the floor. To their credit, the remaining warrior’s recognized the threat, drawing and activating their vibro-axes. The one-handed hatchet-like blades slashed toward him, but he was fast enough to catch the hand of the closest warrior, sending the blade spinning off into the corridor beyond. The warrior grabbed at the phantom hand, then realized his error, grabbing for a knife on his breastplate in panic. The mirror-shine visor reflected the blue blade as it descended, catching the man across the chest, sending him down in a shower of sparks.  
The final warrior primed a grenade as he slashed forward, screaming incoherently in a language Val did not understand. It was a suicidal attack, the timer of the grenade counting down even as the warrior forced Val on the defensive. In surprise and panic, Val reacted, punching the warrior in the faceplate hard enough to send him staggering back. Val caught the man across the throat with the tip of his blade but the grenade remained in the man’s hand. With a final effort that Val could not have foreseen, the Mandan rose from his knees and charged, dropping the axe as he did. Val reacted again, pushing the man away with the force, far stronger than he intended. The man tumbled away, the grenade detonating and sending his remains crashing into the wall.   
Val turned, expecting to see more Mandan warrior’s behind him, but Foroth’s squad had filled the area, a few final blaster shots putting down the last of the resistance. Alarms blared as the remainder of the platoon disembarked and fanned out much as they had practiced. Foroth made his way to Val’s side. “Lost one on entry, bad luck, nothing to be done.” Val could see the marine’s body below the breach, a smoking hole put through their chest. Val nodded, then waved vaguely in the direction of the reactor room. “Let’s go.” He said from behind his armored visor as he turned to stride toward the objective.  
His senses were failing him now, everything was chaos, the extinction of life all around him, more fierce in some places than others. They encountered another squad of Mandan troops no more than a block from their breach point. Val focused on intercepting any bolts within his reach, allowing the troops behind him to engage freely. The Mandans realized their disadvantage quickly and withdrew under the cover of a rocket fired from a wrist-mounted launcher. Val redirected the missile into the wall to his left leaving a hole the size of a plate in the thick durasteel. Two of the Mandans lay on the floor, one still trying to crawl in the direction of his comrades.  
Val approached, kicking the man over, perhaps too roughly. The helmet was shattered, blood running from cuts and burns along the man’s face. He was human, mid thirties, hair black with streaks of gold. Val held the blade to the man’s chest, “Do you understand me?”  
The Mandan coughed dryly, a mist of blood coating his lips. “Yes.” He wheezed. Val turned to Foroth, “Get the medic up here. Foroth nodded, turning and waving up one of the troops as Val returned his attention to the wounded warrior. “You will be well-treated according to our custom.”  
The Mandan sighed, “Forgive me, but I prefer my own custom.” The Mandan said with a dry, wheezing laugh before jumping suddenly onto Val’s blade. “Tell them Tors Degaran died with honor.” The Mandan wheezed, then his eyes took on the distant gaze of the fallen. Val recoiled, withdrawing his blade as the shock faded. Foroth voiced his surprise, “Svejk.” The man said dryly in Eshan, a popular curse that invoked a variety of parasitic slug native to Kuat. Val wasn’t certain if Foroth was referring to the man as a Svejk or if the situation was worthy of invoking the dreaded creature. Val was certain that he would remember the name Tors Degaran, though he was not certain whom he would tell about the warrior’s fate.  
Val moved instinctively, the last of the shock wearing thin now. The surviving Mandans had withdrawn toward the reactor room where Val suspected an ambush awaited. He moved forward, checking corridors to his left and right as he did, saber still ignited at his side. The sound of blaster fire echoed through the halls, fighting the alarms for dominance. Throughout the ship, hundreds of souls were embroiled in a brutal contest for survival, the emotional intensity of that conflict changed the very nature of the force around them. It was something Val had felt before, but with his tutelage under Koorta, he now understood that some of those threads could be pulled.  
It was as simple as finding the nearest Mandan and implanting a single, simple thought, one that was not unreasonable given the battle surrounding them. If they seal the doors, the Imperials could not possibly take the reactor in time. So it occurred that this Mandan, an officer of some stripe, sealed the doors of the reactor room. All but the most vital of them, through which Val and his troops marched through without contest.   
A bolt from Foroth’s pistol caught the officer in the neck, sending him tumbling back into one of the reactor coils where he slumped against the metal. The remaining Mandans, to their credit, managed to rally and defend their position for a few frantic minutes. Without reinforcements, the defenders dwindled until the last survivors tossed their weapons down and broke cover, surrendering. Each was fully disarmed and had their armor stripped.  
“Jahaan.” One of the captives said in her language. Val knelt down beside her. “Jahaan?” He asked. Her face was cold and defiant, a blade scar crossed her left cheek running to her jaw. The younger Mandan next to her chuckled. “She won’t speak to you Imperial.” The man said, his voice firm, his eyes full of laughter. Val nodded, moving to the man, “I won’t force her to then.” He said, kneeling again beside the man. The remains of his armor bore markings of a massive porcine creature Val could not place.  
“She is angry to have been beaten in a dishonorable fashion.” The man said with a teasing smile. Val shrugged, “Forgive me, we did not realize ambushes were against your moral code.” He replied, his voice dripping in sarcasm. The man chuckled but shook his head, “No no you misunderstand, we have no qualms about ambushing our enemies.” The warrior replied. Val shrugged, “Glad to hear that, I would have brought up how great a dishonor your ambush at Taris was.”  
His face hardened a little, a bit of that laughter leaving his eyes. “That remains a dishonor, my friend.” He said, the eyes of the others turning to him, accusing. He sighed, “She will not speak to you because you used Jaht’ei, a sorcerer’s trickery.” He replied glibly. Val narrowed his eyebrows, “The force?” Val asked. The Mandan nodded, “Strength that is gifted is false.” He replied, “It makes one weak.”  
Val stood, turning to the woman, sensing her mind. He found that the man was telling the truth. He looked back to the man, “What do you believe?” He asked curtly. The man smiled again, “Strength is strength, no matter it’s source.” He replied, drawing a hiss of revulsion from the woman and the other captives . Val looked from them back to the man, “An unpopular opinion.” The man shrugged, “You won, did you not?”  
The hisses ceased as Val took a step away toward Foroth. The sergeant was smiling slyly. “They disdain force use.” Val whispered, surprised that Aella had not mentioned this before. The woman laughed, “Death to the Jahaan.” She said, looking at Val. He stepped toward her, causing her to sit up, as if she expected death to follow his approach. “We are all Jahaan.” Val said with a sigh. “The force lives in all things, even you.” He added, kneeling beside her. “I am your enemy, but I am not the nightmare your legends have warned you of.”  
The woman’s eyes narrowed, her lips drew back as if she wanted to speak, but she maintained her silence. Val looked back to the man, “What are your names?” He asked. The warrior leaned back against the wall, “Lost cause for them friend, but I have little to hide, I am Arren Tsetch of clan Fulrau.” The talkative Mandan said with a grin.  
“I’m Val.” He replied, extending a hand in greeting. Arren took his hand shaking it. “House Kidann.” The man’s eyes widened as Val spoke. “You are known to us Val of house Kidann.” Arren said, his grin widening. Val spared a glance to the other prisoners, each of which had softened some. “Your father is Ljaat-fan, an honored foe.”  
Val’s eyes narrowed, “He is alive?” Val asked, moving closer to the man. The Mandan nodded, “He lived as a guest of the Mand, at my last recollection.” The news was far better than Val had expected, if his father was under the protection of this enemy king then it was unlikely the Adrass could harm him. “What of the rest of my house?”  
Arren shrugged, “I am sorry friend, but this I cannot tell you.” Val reached instinctively to probe his mind, but thought better of it. Perceptions mattered and these prisoners were likely to be traded for Imperials. Though they were his enemy, the true foe lay somewhere beyond. Perhaps those like Arren could be swayed to see that.  
“Cannot or will not?” Val asked, his voice stern. Arren shrugged, “I can’t tell you what I do not know.” Val did not sense any falsehood in that sentiment. He searched the eyes of the other prisoners and found much the same. It was strange that the enemy would not boast of capturing his Uncle if they had managed it. Shar Kidann had once been a General in the Imperial Army, then a military advisor before retiring into politics on Taris. Though Tae was the more significant figure, Shar may have been the more valuable prize. His knowledge of the Imperial military, if it could be gained, would certainly have bolstered the enemy’s understanding of their foe.  
Val stood, moving to Foroth. “Any news from the other platoons?” The mission had to continue, there would be time to question Arren later. The sergeant shook his head as he spoke, “Mid-range comms are jammed and the shorts are spotty, I’m having trouble reaching the squads around us.” He said, his tone more even and serious than Val had ever seen out of the man. An unease settled over Val, but was quickly banished by his more rational mind. They had prepared for this, when the bridge fell, they would be able to shut down any jamming the enemy had implemented in short order.  
Still, some part of this seemed wrong. Had it been any other Knight, Val would have considered this delay as unworthy of concern. Chiko should have broken through already, it was that simple in his mind. As long minutes dragged on that concern began to grow out of his control. He stood by the door, the sound of distant blaster fire and the concussion of the ship’s turbolasers playing a drumbeat in rhythm with his discordant mind. Eventually, it became too much to bear.  
“Sergeant, defend this position with your life, something has gone wrong.” He ordered simply in a hushed tone. Foroth merely nodded as he spoke, “They’ll not get it back sir.” Val turned, drawing on the force in a manner he had deigned not to until this point. The power he felt coursed through every muscle and tendon, lending them a strength he had no business wielding. Time slowed as he took his first lunging step, as the helmeted marines turned as one to view his departure. The flux of this technique, the bending of reality and the fields of power around him would appear as unnatural speed to those viewing it. To Val it seemed the inverse, though he ran with a ferocity reserved for desperation, there was no physical exertion to it.  
The concentration required was the only exertion in any regard, formidable as it was. He could sustain long enough to reach his destination. The durasteel panels buckled beneath him in his wake but he felt none of the impact. He passed the outer defense perimeter as a blur of motion, streaks of blaster fire lashing out toward him with futility. His saber was a blue haze as it descended upon the sparse Mandan defenders, their armor shattering beneath the scythe of his advance. This power was intoxicating, to give oneself over entirely to the force, to live on the passion of the moment, to kill without thought of hesitation.  
Their screams were distorted and distant, but the pain he had inflicted reached him still. He would banish that as always, to be reckoned with in quieter times when the mind could suffer such. Right or wrong, they would have killed him had he let them, it was that simple in the moment. It became harder with every cut, with every last gurgling cry of pain and defeat. They screamed in their language as he cut them through and so he did not understand them. But when their minds cried too he perceived each thought. Sunlight and rain on the windows, the feel of a lover’s touch and the smell of the spring chill assaulted his mind as a wave of sensation as the minds of the fallen faded into the void. I have no choice. His mind rebelled, It is them or me.  
The main turbolift was large enough to transport an entire platoon of soldiers in a single load. As he stood above the bodies of the squad he had encountered within, he did his best not to think about it. The smoke drifted about him as a fatal mist, wafting free from the scores left by his blade. As the lift ascended toward the command deck, he noted the smell of burnt flesh and ozone. Each of the warriors bore differing crests, beasts and symbols that he did not recognize but that held a significance he could. On his own pauldron was the Kidann crest, an ouroboric star field with a ray of ascending light at its center.  
The doors opened suddenly and Val was confronted with the deathly silence of a decided battlefield. Imperial Marines and Mandans lay entangled in their final throes of violence. Blades had done the most work here, as blood pooled and limbs lay separate from their owners. Chiko’s victims were easy to find, smoke still rising from those dispatched by her blade, glowing scores a testament to her passing. He took care to avoid what he could of the carnage beneath him, but it was largely futile. The white and gold of his armored boots were stained in the blood of the fallen.  
Each step was a new horror, every turn into a new corridor painted in terrible crimson the path of the battle. Not all of the Mandans bore the armor of warriors. Here and there were the crewmen, hewn down like all the rest in the fray. The last of the marines stood a horrid sentry at the bridge entrance, their armor shattered and their eyes empty. One of them wept openly, a long gash from cheek to jaw, but his tears came not from pain.  
“M… my lord.” The most cogent of them said in greeting. Val was glad for his visor in that moment, the look on his face may have broken the man. He steadied himself, moving to the man. “Where is Knight Suvan.” He asked briefly, his intuitions already pointing him ahead. The marine nodded toward the door, “Sh-she is s-subduing the enemy ch-chief.” The man stuttered, his eyes never leaving the bodies around him.  
Val wasted no time, diving through the doorway. The bridge was a tiered structure, far larger than any Imperial counterpart. The highest tier, two stories above, was his destination. He could feel her presence, the frustration and hatred that accompanied her into every battle. What scared him most was what she faced. They were a void, beyond his ability to read and with a cool certainty that unnerved him even from a great distance.  
He leapt, aiming for a lower tier from which he might again leap to reach the highest platform. To any observing, he may as well have been flying. His foot found purchase on the lower tier and with a final effort he propelled himself upwards, igniting his lightsaber again as he cleared the ledge. He was confronted with the sight of a dire contest. His initial assessment had been incorrect. Chiko was a match for this foe, her emotions merely feeding into her form. There was no sloppiness to it, no negligence forcing her out of balance. She was everywhere, attacking from all sides and forcing her opponent deep into the defensive.  
That opponent, a blue-skinned alien, bore an impassive expression. He was neither amused nor worried, his pupil-less red eyes assessing her coldly as he was driven back. The alien’s blade was crimson, matching his iridescent eyes. The darkness of the bridge was momentarily illuminated with each clash of their blades. Chiko’s sky blue against the red of her foe. A sudden masterful slash caught the alien’s sleeve, avoiding his flesh by a hair’s breadth, a small piece of his tunic floating slowly toward the deck below. The alien smiled, its teeth far too bright, reflecting the red of his lightsaber as if bloody.  
“How beautiful you have become.” He said, his voice coarse and full of gravel. Chiko merely screamed in response, lunging forward to finish him. He deftly caught the blow and shed it, forcing her to leap away as the alien’s counter strike fell short of her neck. Val grimaced, wishing to intervene but feeling through her emotions that this was something she needed to reckon with on her own. His saber was at his side, blue light painting the darkness around him as he watched the battle unfold.  
She was everywhere, a blur of motion and fury dancing from blow to blow, each resounding in a flash of brilliant light and the hiss of contesting blades. The alien was nearly as quick and skilled enough to maintain his defense. This was, after all, one of her tutors. Her recognition of the truth, the long and winding series of connections tracing back to that dark and terrible sanctum where they had forged her, of their true purpose, elicited a rage Val had never seen in her. It was as staring into the heart of the force, a roiling current of righteous anger. This was not the cold fury they had regimented, this was passion of a kind he recognized as all too familiar.  
It grew with every moment, the inevitable march toward this alien’s death. Had he known, even all those years ago that this girl would be his end? The infuriating smile upon his face seemed indicative of this. Even as the shroud of mortality descended upon him, those pure white teeth remained visible. He was pushing her, needling her, drawing forth the monster they had created within. Val wanted to intervene, to set forth some reason as to why this alien would be better as a captive, but that was folly in the wake of her hatred.  
The deck began to bend around them. It was an unconscious effort on her part, he knew. With every strike of her sword and every step beneath her boot the ground resounded as the force itself was harnessed to her fury. It was awe, more than anything else, that stayed him. He could have reached her, had he wished. I am her weakness. He mused as his love rent the ship around them apart. The alien’s smile only grew as the fruit of his labor bloomed before him. “Magnificent!” He screamed above the groans of the durasteel deck and clattering jingle of broken glass.  
His exclamations turned into a prolonged fit of uproarious laughter. This only served to strengthen Chiko’s rage. With a scream she sent the man to his knees, the resounding power of her command echoing through Val’s core. The man’s laughter never ceased, merely softening as he made to speak. “Well done my dear, well done indeed.” He began with a cackle of malicious joy, “You will serve us well.” He said as the blue blade descended upon his neck.


	21. 21

They had taken twelve ships intact, destroyed a score more and nearly fifteen thousand prisoners now sat on the rocky, desolate moon around which the battle had been waged. The camps had been Val’s idea, a way of handling these prisoners in a timely fashion. The prisoners were free to run if they wished, the world was incapable of sustaining life and there were no ships outside of Imperial control to rescue them. Few guards were needed, as the threat of a turbolaser barrage was ever present with the Triumphant docked in low orbit for the duration of the events unfolding.  
Val and Chiko strode through the camp without fear. Though surrounded by their enemy, every Mandan now knew the power of the Imperial Knights. A few of those number had not returned, but even those fallen few had laid terrible waste to the defending Mandan ranks. Val searched their eyes, finding that their beliefs were not a monolith. In some he found hatred and revulsion, in others, an abiding awe or grudging respect for a class of warrior alien to their own understanding.  
He was searching for a particular face amongst the crowd, that of Arren Tsetch, clan Fulrau. As the prisoners had been disembarked, they had sought out their clan members amongst the multitudes. Now those clans had dispersed across the great valley that would be their home for a short while. Clan Fulrau, as Val had learned from the few and far between Mandans willing to speak to them, was a large and ancient clan well respected by its peers and coveted by its lessers. As such, the clan had left the valley and established a camp on the western ridge.  
From atop the ridge the clan could see the entirety of the assembled mass. A hundred small camps spread across the whole of the valley floor. Huddled together these Mandans contested against the harsh conditions of their temporary home on the fair but not enjoyable rations afforded them by the Imperial navy. At the center of the camp was the landing pad and fortress, a pre-fabricated compound ubiquitous across the Empire. That fortress was the only route off the moon, the few shuttles allowed to dock at one time always manned by a full complement of Marines.  
Val approached a set of kind eyes, removing his helmet. This was dangerous, as a thrown stone could easily reach him through the PDS as it moved much slower than a blaster bolt. It was a sign of trust and it immediately drew Chiko’s ire. What are you doing you fool? She asked, her hand resting on her belt just short of her lightsaber. Val moved forward regardless, he sensed the mind of the woman he approached and there was no violence there. “So, you are human after all.” The Mandan woman said without surprise. She turned to the man next to her and thumped his cuirass with a closed fist, “I told you Syl, but you can pay up once we’re off this rock.”  
Val smiled cordially, “I had the honor to face one of your clan in battle.” He stated, addressing more than just the woman. “I wish to meet and speak to him again, his name is Arren Tsetch.” Val explained. The woman’s eyes widened in recognition. “You know Arren?” She asked with a smile. “My cousin is on watch.” She said, pointing to the far end of the camp where a spite of rock jutted jaggedly out above the canyon. Val nodded, “Thank you.” He said shortly and began to move away.  
The woman stopped him with a shout of, “Hold on!” Chiko’s eyes scanned all around them and her mind strayed toward violence. The Mandan woman raised a hand to point to her side where her belt would be. “Show us the weapon.” She said with a grin. Chiko’s blade was in hand and ignited in an inconceivably fast draw. Those around her took a step back, some into a fighting stance, while others merely away from the threat. Chi. He thought, knowing she was still coming down from the battle on the bridge. She sighed through the visor and relaxed her pose. Val drew his own weapon and ignited it, holding the blue blade a few inches from his face in a salute.  
The Mandans relaxed, a chorus of discussion broke out as the knights posed before them. Val flourished the weapon, then tossed it in a spinning throw toward a tall but thin rocky outcrop. The blade cleaved through, then with a flick of his wrist soared back into his waiting hand. With his left hand he reached out, lifting the top of the rock with some exertion before pushing it away. It shattered against the ground and pieces tumbled over the cliff side into the canyon below.  
The chorus fell quiet for a moment. Val turned to Chiko, who was in the process of removing her helmet. Her hair was tightly bound and braided so as to accommodate the helmet, her face was still affixed with a restrained snarl of discomfort. Though the threat these prisoners posed was minimal, Chiko would be Chiko. He deactivated his saber and tossed it to the woman. “Be careful, the activation switch is just below the emitter.” He stated. A flash of murder shot through Chiko’s eyes as she beheld what he had just done. He smiled sheepishly, knowing he would pay for that later.  
The Mandans around the woman stepped back as she eyed the weapon in her hands. With a moment of hesitation beforehand, she placed her thumb on the activation switch, then keyed it. The lightsaber blade sprang forth and Val watched as she felt the power of the lightsaber coursing through her hand. He remembered the first time he had felt that sensation, an overwhelming sense of control and mastery that few other experiences since could match. She held the weapon out, “It’s heavy!” She exclaimed in surprise.  
Val nodded, “Quite tiring to wave around when you’ve not practiced.” He said, holding out his hand. The woman did not hesitate in handing the weapon back to him. “Perhaps one day I will take a trophy like this.” She said with a confidence that unnerved Val momentarily. It was the determination behind her statement, the unwillingness to accept the superiority of her foe. This woman was a fine warrior, of that he had no doubt, but against his comrades all of her skill would be wasted.  
“I wish you luck.” He stated, his smile dimming as he turned his back on her. He noted Chiko’s disgust, but it came from a misunderstanding. Though it had been a short tenure, Val had spent as much time as he could speaking to these people whom had been made his enemy. There was no malice in the Mandan warrior’s statement, no implicit threat; her desire was a genuine one. As had been proven in the battle above, an Imperial Knight was perhaps the most dangerous foe that they could face on any battlefield. If his growing understanding of their ethos was correct, the conquer of such a foe would be glorious beyond imagining.  
These were a warlike people, their honor and prestige gained through feats of gallantry in line with their code. In many ways they were not unlike Knights, bound by oaths that each individual would reckon with. It was a grim portent of the future that these prisoners were not cowed by defeat. They held their heads high despite what must have been a humiliation. They did not shrink from his gaze, nor did they flinch at his approach.  
The stroll was punctuated by brief instances of shouts and jeers from the crowd. Val did not know the Mandan language but the meaning was clear enough. Though this was a moderate clan in large part, there was a large minority that retained the superstition Val had witnessed upon his last meeting with Arren. He would make their language his priority in the coming weeks. Understanding his enemy would allow him to not only communicate more effectively, but also to understand them implicitly in time.  
Arren sat on a rock while the other guards stood. He was notably atypical of the others, older by a decade at least and with far less to prove. The guards postured against the approach of the Knights, though it was only for show. Attacking the pair was suicidal and even these young and inexperienced warriors knew that. Arren’s helmet was at his side and so Val noted the wide smile that appeared as the man recognized him. Val had requested that their armor be returned to them upon arriving on the surface as a show of good faith, it was obvious the armor held significance to them.  
Most of the warriors wore suits of heavily customized durasteel armor not dissimilar in composition from Stormtrooper Cuirasses. The exceptions were rare and immediately notable. Though formed in the same style, some suits of armor were far more ornate and perceivable archaic in design. The luster of freshly forged Durasteel was unmistakable when compared to the alternative. Val had counted and found that one in twenty of the assembled number bore armor in this style. As Val approached Arren, he recognized that he was one of these few.  
“Hello there.” Val said, returning the warm smile Arren had provided him. The Mandan stood slowly, seemingly working through some lingering pain from the battle days before. “Val of house Kidann.” Arren said with a groan. “I do hope the intent of your visit is kinder than the last.” The warrior said with a grim chuckle.  
“I assure you that it is.” Val replied, then turned and gestured toward Chiko, “This is my partner, Chiko Suvan.” He explained briefly. Chiko nodded toward the man, but kept her eyes on their surroundings. Arren nodded in return, then pointed toward a collection of boulders nearby. “Would you like to sit? I observed your journey from the fortress, a frighteningly long and arduous hike that is.”  
Val nodded, “After you friend.” Arren turned to the two young guards and muttered something in Mandan that struck Val as a very precise set of orders. Undoubtedly relating to what they should do if these Knights seem about to execute him. Arren had little to fear from them in that regard but Val sympathized nonetheless. The Mandan bounded quickly toward the stones and took a seat at the farthest of the cluster. Val took one just across from him while Chiko remained standing, peering back at the Mandan camp.  
“I would like for you to accompany me back to Raeth.” Val stated waiting to gauge the man’s response. It was somewhere between a request and a threat, an intentional measure on Val’s behalf. Arren was slow to respond, his face retaining the passive friendliness that characterized his features. The only visible shift was in the eyes, an almost imperceptible narrowing that Val believed signalled confusion rather than anger.That’s good. Val thought, maintaining his poise so as to not alert Arren of his approval. Val had little doubt that the man would accompany them, but he would prefer if the Mandan had no reservations about it. Chiko spoke up suddenly, surprising Val, “As a guest, not a prisoner, of course.” She clarified, her voice alarmingly even. More alarming to Val was that he had not anticipated her outburst, the internal dialogue between them had been momentarily extinguished.  
Arren put his balled right hand beneath his chin and leaned forward in contemplation. “The Mand promised that we would all reach Raeth eventually.” He said mockingly, but it was evident in his tone that the mocked party was the Mand. “I must be honest with you Knight Kidann that I have a very good memory and sharp eyes.” His meaning was clear in that, all that he saw would be reported up the chain of command. Val nodded and grinned, “That is exactly why I sought you out, Arren.” he said, using the man’s name to emphasize that the joking was only a pretense for a more serious conversation to follow. Arren nodded, “I am to be a messenger of sorts then?” The Mandan asked, reaching down to grab his helmet, dusting off the bottom as he did so.  
Chiko spoke again, though Val had regained their connection and was thusly was not surprised as before, “An observer as well.” She stated, illuminating Val’s purpose. Arren would serve as the first step in a mutual understanding, a bridge from which the future war may be prevented. The toll was already far more terrible than either side had truly prepared for. It was plain to see on the faces of these Mandans, they had never known defeat. Without this understanding, the resentment would grow and with it the desire for vengeance.  
“I believe we have been maneuvered into a conflict designed to weaken all involved.” Val said, placing faith in this enemy warrior. “The motivations for this I cannot yet determine, but I suspect it is that of dominion.” He said, emphasizing the word as it felt right in his forming of it. Arren’s guise fell as Val stated plainly what he had obviously long suspected himself. He leaned back, his eyes searching the faces of his distant kin.  
A false smile spread across the Mandan’s weathered face, a performance for the benefit of those observing from afar. “The shadow of this war stains all that it encompasses my friend.” Arren said from behind that faux smile, pain was in the man’s eyes and a deep sorrow dripped from his words. “The Mand has been twisted by this darkness, I think.” There was a finality in that admission, as if closing the seal on a casket. “I do remember a time when we were not this.” He waved a hand out across the valley below.  
Val nodded, feeling Arren’s forlorn longing for those older days. Val spared a glance to Chiko, imagining what they may have been without the blood feud that had defined them. Perhaps she may have been a dancer rather than a warrior, and he merely the second son, a ship without a set destination. Had he still a choice in that? Could he break those bonds now and secede into the obscurity that was beyond that? No, too much lay upon him now to shed his burden.  
“We need you.” Chiko spoke for him, his own thoughts drifting too far away, forcing him back into the present. Arren nodded at that, agreeing.”I will be your messenger.”


End file.
